Accountant-cum-midfield dynamo Danny Lane has been denied the chance to create magic moments in the Emirates FA Cup in recent years, but hopes he can finally inspire a tale to go down in folklore with Almondsbury UWE.
Former club Taunton Town have seemingly suffered perennial disappointment in the qualifying rounds, while two other clubs on Lane’s CV – Aylesbury United and Yate Town – have both reached the first round proper in the competition since the turn of the century without him playing a part.
Current club Almondsbury are the second-lowest ranked team left in this year’s competition and have never been beyond the first round qualifying.
Bodmin Town v Almondsbury
Emirates FA Cup
First Round Qualifying
3pm, Saturday 12 September
Priory Park
Winning club will receive £3,000 from FA prize fund
But this weekend’s opponents Bodmin Town have a similarly modest history in The FA Cup and Lane is eyeing progress.
“I am really excited ahead of Saturday’s game,” said the 31-year-old. “The FA Cup is really important for lower-level players.
“We know Saturday’s game is going to be really hard work but it is also one that we feel we have a good chance of progressing from if we perform well.
“Bodmin are a good side who are doing well this season. We started our season well and despite a couple of not-so-good results, we know if we perform to our best then we can give teams at our level and the level above a really good game.
“We will not go into this game over-confident but I know we can do ourselves justice.
“For players at our level it is a special competition. For us it remains a massive event.
“I have played for teams before higher up the chain where we have had the prospect of maybe reaching the first round proper and there is still that same excitement now.
“We have quite a young side, so for some of these players this year’s competition is very special.
Arsenal have won The FA Cup for the past two seasons
“It is difficult to predict how far we can go. Saturday is against a team at the same level as us but if we win and have the chance to play a team at the Southern League level, that would be great.
“We will all be giving our best and then we will see how far we can go.”
For Bodmin, the chance for rare progress in the Emirates FA Cup is right at the top of their wish-list.
And manager Darren Gilbert hopes home advantage can prove to be the decisive factor.
“We want to go as far as possible,” he said.
“We fancy our chances against anyone, particularly at home as we have a pitch which is conducive to the type of football we want to play.
“If we play at our best then we can certainly win, but it depends which of our teams show up.
“We are not the complete article but we are getting there and we can give a good account of ourselves.
“I have been involved with The FA Cup since I was 16 and it is still as special for me as it was then.
“It is always exciting the play in The FA Cup. It is always nice to play other teams outside of your bread and butter of the league.
“Everyone loves playing in it and it is a special competition.”
