Colne will be aiming to maintain their recent upward trajectory when they look to match their best-ever Emirates FA Cup run this weekend.
The Lancashire outfit, who reached the Evo-Stik League Divison One North play-offs in their first-ever campaign at that level last season, host Lancaster City in the First Qualifying Round on Saturday, bidding to reach the Second Qualifying Round for only the second time in their 21-year history.
Lancaster won the division last term and now ply their trade in the Evo-Stik League Premier Division – they also recruited Colne’s 20-goal striker Ollie Wood earlier this summer – but manager Steve Cunningham believes his troops have every chance of pulling off an upset.
“We’re a little club on the hills of Lancashire,” said the Reds boss, whose preparations have been hampered by seeing coaches Dixon Lambert and Liam Smith depart to take over at Padiham in the North-West Counties League.
“We had a great season last year in reaching the play-offs and it turned into a season that no-one would have expecting.
“In the last 12-24 months, the club has gone to a new level. We’ve got a new club chairman and sponsor in Ryan Haigh and Utility Renewals – we certainly don’t have a big budget and it’s been done through a bit of hard work and lady luck.
“They’re one of our rivals from last year and fair play to Lancaster; I know the manager and they’ve started the season last year.
“It’s a tough tie but we’re confident. We believe that on our day, we can give them a good game.
“It’s a great opportunity to try and help strengthen the club off the field with that little bit of finance, which is important to us, and also the prestige of being in the next round.
“When the Evo-Stik Premier and the National League teams start coming in, you want to be in the hat. You never know – we might get a Stockport County away or a Salford City away.”
Lancaster City manager Phil Brown meanwhile knows his side cannot afford to take their opponents lightly if they’re to make FA Cup progress.
“They’re always tough games in the early rounds of the FA Cup, so just because we’re a league higher we don’t take it for granted at all. We’re under no illusions,” he said.
“The squad is as confident as they possibly can be going into tomorrow’s game. We’re not complacent, we know it’s going to be a tough game against Colne, we know they’re a good team.
“It’s really important in terms of the revenue it brings in, which will help us as we go through this season and give us the opportunity to play for a little bit more.
“It carries on that momentum of us not being beaten. It’s a really important competition at our level, from a financial side of things and also in terms of keeping our momentum going.”
FA Cup history
Colne’s previous best-ever run in the Emirates FA Cup saw them reach the Second Qualifying Round back in the 2004-05 season, where they suffered a 1-0 loss at the hands of Brigg Town.
Meanwhile, Lancaster have twice gone all the way to the Second Round Proper – they enjoyed ties against Gateshead in 1946-47 and then-Division Three Notts County in 1972-73.
Did you know?
Colne are the second team to play in their eponymous Lancashire Town. Colne Dynamos, the original tenants of Holt House, were formed in 1963 but folded in 1990 when their ground failed to meet the required grading for the Conference.
The prize
The winners of Saturday’s tie, who will progress to the second qualifying round, will net £3,000 in prize money.
