Tragic circumstances prompted four avid football fans to embark on their first-ever ‘Road to Wembley’ and they hope to find a sense of solace in this season’s Emirates FA Cup.
Paul Taylor, his father, Pete, brother-in-law Andy Leslie and Andy’s dad, another Pete, attended Clipstone’s extra preliminary round tie against Barton Town on Saturday 11 August, and it is the first of 14 ties they plan to watch between now and next May.
Chelsea fan Paul, 26, explained: “Andy’s mum Nicky sadly passed away a few weeks ago so after discussing it between the four of us, we decided to do our own ‘Road to Wembley’ to keep ourselves occupied.
“Andy and Pete are Spurs season ticket holders but with the price of tickets at the new stadium they have decided to go to a few non-league games this season instead, and that’s what got them thinking about The FA Cup.
“They are based in the east Midlands and me and dad are based in Doncaster so we looked for a game in between the two, and the Clipstone tie seemed perfect.
“It was good to be there but it was hardly the game of the season; it finished 0-0. I used to play a lot of Sunday League and I know a handful of non-league players so I had a look through the two teamsheets to see if there was anyone I recognised – there wasn’t unfortunately.
“Barton were probably the better team on the day, but there very few chances. In fact, the most memorable part of the match came at the end when an elderly Barton fan shouted out that Clipstone needed to get more comfortable seats!
“We should have gone to the replay instead (Clipstone won 4-3 after being 3-0 down!) but I was at Doncaster’s League Cup win at Scunthorpe.
“And because Clipstone won, that means we’re off to Anstey Nomads in the preliminary round on Saturday. A nice little trip to Leicestershire!
“The FA Cup does still mean a lot to players and fans. I’m sure the Clipstone lads were celebrating their win last Tuesday, and every fan has their own memories of the competition.
“For a lot of teams, particularly outside the top six in the Premier League, it is their best chance to win a trophy. It’s a big trophy to win and a chance to get into Europe at the end of the season. And outside the top clubs, getting to an FA Cup Final is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“One of my favourite football memories is when Chelsea won The FA Cup in 2000, the last Final to be played at the old Wembley. And one of the first games I remember watching was the 1999 semi-final replay between Arsenal and Man United when Giggsy scored that famous goal.
“I’m looking forward to the season ahead and seeing where it takes us. Hopefully we’ll have more games like the Clipstone-Barton replay; plenty of goals and plenty of drama. The FA Cup is always full of shocks and surprises so hopefully we’ll see our fair share along the way. I'm sure we'll enjoy a beer or two as well.
“It would be nice to see one or two non-league clubs or lower-league clubs go far in the competition and I should be able to tick a few grounds off the list as well which will be a bonus.”
You can follow Paul’s Emirates FA Cup adventures on Twitter: @PaulT_92
