Fa Sunday Cup Throws Derby County

The Football Association Cup (FA Cup) originated in 1872 but did you know that in 1964, the FA introduced parallel competition for football clubs that competed on Sunday morning. The competition that features the best of the Sunday League football, and the spirit of true football grass roots in England.

You might think, well there are so many teams, how does it work? Let me take you in a small administrative journey. The provisions are simple. The team must play in the top division leagues each, and the FA Sunday Cup match must be played on land that has been assessed for step 6 of the non-liga pyramid (around here is the first division of the joint district league).

Before we entered this season representatives of Berkshire, the famous silver trophy, a gift by Shah Iran to the FA to celebrate one hundred years in 1963 – had only crossed the border of Berkshire once. In the 1991/92 season, Theale of the Reading Senior Division sent Marsston Sainsts back to Wolverhampton empty-handed after a 3-2 victory at FC’s Elm Park Reading. Graham Hambridge took the headlines for Theale that day with a decisive goal.

Returning to today, and we have four representatives from Royal County who want to imitate the success of 1992. The Sunday League reading was represented by the current league champion FC Bapco, Burghfield and Tilehurst El Patron, while the Sunday Cup debut performance for Newbury Sunday League, Kingsclelele FC.

FC Bapco, which made the last 32 last season hoped that their very talented team could go further this year and return the Sunday League on the map. League champions have now scored 26 goals in their three opening matches but will face far more resilient opponents in Reading City on Sunday when they face fellow league opponents in Burghfield, who themselves have the same talented squad.

Top regular from the clash table, but given the status of the competition, this one feels like a classic – if not also a little unfortunate (is the team really entered the FA Sunday Cup to play against the team they know?)

Tadley Calleva’s Barlowows Park will also host the game as Kingsclere welcomed Tilehurst El Customer. It makes sense, being in Tadley was given a representation of the past and now from both sides for the combined Premier Division of the South Club Regency. Roman captain Jordan Goers will lead his Kingsclere team in a familiar environment against former teammates at Ousmane Darboe (Reading City) and Dan Williamson (Tadley) and supported by Roman teammates Connor Thorne.

The last season of the Newbury league runner-up has had a diverse start this season but will hope to move forward against their cross-counter opponents.

Tilehurst El Customer will hope that the experience of the event can guide them to the next round, and an important victory as the opening league left (after sending five goals at home to Emmer Green) and a tough defeat at the Berks & Bucks Cup seeing league readers who rather licked their wounds only two matches entered.

No matter what happened, two Berkshire football representatives will fly the flag for Berkshire in the second half.