Westfields have been named the latest Emirates FA Cup Club of the Round following their 4-0 win over Walton Casuals.
The Midland Football League Premier Division outfit, who are celebrating their 50th anniversary year, topped a shortlist for the third round qualifying which also included Whitehawk and Ebbsfleet United.
One of the two lowest-ranked clubs left in the competition, Westfields promoted their tie fantastically well, resulting in an attendance of 349, a 118 per cent increase on their average gate of 160.
Westfields used digital Playing Surface assets, programme ads and even submitted video content to The FA, a fantastic feat for a club at Step 5 of the National League System, with a media team consisting solely of fans and volunteers.
Westfields will receive the Club of the Round trophy, as well an Emirates FA Cup trophy appearance at their fourth round qualifying tie against Leiston on Saturday 15 October.
6 Days...Will we make Qualifying Round 4 and make HISTORY on our 50th anniversary?
— Westfields FC (@Westfieldsfc1) September 25, 2016
Buy tickets. Please RT and let everyone know. pic.twitter.com/15ROZSO8qa
They will also receive two tickets to the Emirates FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium, £500 of paid social media support, five Nike training balls and four crates of Budweiser.
Club secretary Andy Morris, who founded the club as a teenager in 1966, said: “Westfields is delighted to have won the Emirates FA Cup Club of the Round award.
“We now look forward to the fourth round qualifying home tie on Saturday 15 October.
“To have won through to this stage of the competition in our 50th anniversary year is a dream come true and confirms the magic of The FA Cup.
“And to have The FA Cup on display at our game against Leiston will further enhance the profile of Westfields FC and the Midland Football League.”
Westfields have progressed from playing on park pitches to enjoying their self-built ground which was opened by Sir Trevor Brooking in 2004. Through their own work, with help from the Football Foundation, the club now has 11 teams from Under-8s through to the first team, who are enjoying their most successful Emirates FA Cup run to date.
The Emirates FA Cup Club of the Round award has been introduced this season to recognise qualifying-round clubs for their efforts in advertising their ties to drive attendance and raise recognition, and awareness, of non-league football.
Clubs are judged on a range of criteria including attendance, number of promotional assets used on social media or in print, best social media coverage and video content, before the winner is selected by an FA panel.
From the first round qualifying onwards, clubs are given a suite of 10 bespoke marketing assets by The FA to be used across print and social media, and sixty-five of the 80 clubs in the third round qualifying used these assets to proactively market their ties.
