The small town of Leatherhead has been transformed by the Emirates FA Cup this week.
Leatherhead FC, the Tanners, currently lie 18th in the Isthmian League Premier Division and regularly welcome crowds of around 400 to their ground – Fetcham Grove.
But this Sunday the club go up against Billericay Town in the first round proper of the Emirates FA Cup and the atmosphere in the town is electric.
“At the moment with a good gate we get around 400 supporters but we’re looking at 2000 for this weekend so it’s a big jump,” said club chairman Richard Brady.
“Last year our biggest attendance was 700 so we’re tripling that.”
“You’ve got people who’re coming from the community and all over the place just because they’ve heard about the game.
“It’s like a snowball and it’s gained momentum, everyone wants a ticket! Nobody ever asks me for tickets but everyone wants one now!
“To say it’s buzzing is a bit of a cliché but everywhere you go in town it’s all people want to talk about – it’ll be many people’s first time down to a football match.
“We know we’re not going to win the FA Cup but we’re saying to people ‘come down, we’re a family club, come and sample it.’
“We’re a community-based club and as soon as people come down once they enjoy it and they keep coming.”
The Tanners are a famous name in the competition’s history, with a stellar run in the 1974-75 season that saw them eventually beaten by First Division side Leicester City in the fourth round proper, in front of 32,000 at Filbert Street.
For a small club like Leatherhead, cup competitions provide plenty of drama and entertainment, but the prize money is also used to improve infrastructure, as Brady revealed.
“We ring fence the money that we make and we use it to build the club up – we’ve got a tower now for the cameras and we’ve sorted out the bar area.
“We’ve just finished a toilet block and if we keep going this year we’ll be able to do the changing rooms!
“Cup runs like this make a huge difference to the football club.”
Emirates FA Cup history
This season is the fourth time that Billericay Town have reached the Emirates FA Cup first round, they also made it to this stage in 1997-98, 2004-05 and 2007-08. Leatherhead’s best ever performance in the competition was that memorable 1974-75 run.
Did you know?
Billericay Town include former Premiership stars Paul Konchesky, Jermaine Pennant and Jamie O’Hara in their ranks.
The prize
The winners of Sunday’s tie will gain £18,000 prize money and a place in the second round proper.
