When boss Malcolm Porter first arrived at then Crawley & District League side South Park in 2000, Tranmere Rovers were on their way to a League Cup final and FA Cup quarter-final in the same year.
The intervening 17 years has moved them closer together than when the gulf was nine divisions, but as Porter’s perennial underdogs prepare to take on Tranmere in The Buildbase FA Trophy second round at Prenton Park on Saturday, he is counting his blessings.
Five straight wins in Isthmian League Division One South, since they knocked North Leigh out of the FA Trophy in a replay, indicates a side full of confidence, but Mickey Mellon’s Tranmere are third in the National League and pushing for a return to League Two.
While Rovers have dipped from the days when they were play-off contenders in the second tier on several occasions, as well as losing 2-1 to Leicester City in the last League Cup final to be played at the original Wembley Stadium, they represent a daunting prospect for Porter’s side.
“They are a professional side with a professional set-up – they are fully prepared to get into the Football League and no doubt, with the manager they have got, start to move up the divisions,” Porter explained.
“It’s a long time 17 years, and we have done it bit by bit, we have got no money man involved in the club, we raised our own funds for the new pitch, the new clubhouse, the 3G training pitch.
“Half of our first team players have come through our youth teams over the years. Everything is self-sustained.
“You look at the route the two clubs have taken, where we have come from to where we are now, you have to take stock and enjoy these occasions.”
Porter himself will be on crutches for the occasion, a hip replacement in late December leaving the man less mobile than usual.
But the 46-year-old – like the club he manages – has refused to take it lying down, missing just one game since, when he was unable to fly to Guernsey.
Through the Combined Counties League to where they are now, the Sparks have defied expectations, and Porter is backing his men – the lowest-ranked side left in the competition – to keep upsetting the odds.
“We have always been underdogs, everything from when we started coming up through the leagues to where we are now,” he explained.
“Everyone thinks they can beat us, we’re always the underdog, even at our level, so we relish that. It is part of who we are and part of what has brought us success.
“Teams think they should be able to turn up and beat us, we love it.”
FA Trophy history
Last year was South Park’s second appearance in the competition and they lost 4-0 to East Thurrock United in first round qualifying.
In their first appearance they thrashed Cheshunt 5-1 in the preliminary round before losing to Heybridge Swifts next up.
After being relegated to the National League in 2015, last year was Tranmere’s first in the FA Trophy and they were knocked out by Wrexham in the first round.
Did you know?
Beginning life as Belmont FC in 1884, Tranmere Rovers took up their current name in 1885 and were founder members of Division Three North in 1921 and members of the Football League for 94 years until a defeat to Plymouth Albion sent them down to the National League in 2015.
As for their opponents, South Park chairman Ricky Kidd won the FA Trophy with Dagenham in 1980.
One to watch
Captain Kieran Lavery is both one of South Park’s long-standing servants and their in-form striker – a hat-trick in a 5-1 win against Walton Casuals last time out took his tally for the season to 22 goals in 29 games.
The prize
The winner will pick up a cheque for £6,000 and bag a spot in Monday’s third round draw, available to watch live via Periscope from the @FA Twitter account from 10.30am.
