Way back in the middle of August I began my glory hunt at the Mile End Stadium with Anwar Uddin’s Sporting Bengal United. My journey then took me to Basildon, Hullbridge, Grays and Welling, before I entered the league with Carlisle and then finally Everton before reaching my final destination of Wembley Stadium and the mighty Manchester United.
As always I have enjoyed this years glory hunt and along the way , during my research I have learned a lot more about the teams I have been following, especially the non-league clubs. Also I have kept an eye on the fortunes of these teams throughout the year.
The first three teams I followed all play in the Essex Senior League. Sporting Bengal United finished in 12th position with Hullbridge Sports ending their season one place above the Tigers in 11th. Basildon United finished in second place to Bowers & Pitsea with an impressive 94 point haul, only two points behind the champions.
Grays Athletic’s season ended with a 15th place finish in the Ryman Premier league. The Blues lost their top scorer and star player Dumebi Dumaka to Maidstone United after Christmas. DD as he was affectionately known decided to join the National league South side despite being linked with such clubs as Ipswich Town and West Ham United. Since joining the Stones Dumaka has gone from strength to strength and as contributed to the Kent sides recent success in the play off’s which culminated in promotion to the top tier of non league football. Grays have also recently made a change at the top with Mark Bentley leaving the managers position and being replaced by former Blues legend Jamie Stuart.
It was a disappointing season for Welling United however, who despite their Fa Cup heroics finished rock bottom of the National league. Hopefully it will be a swift return for Mark Goldberg and his Wings back to the Conference.
Keith Curle did a great job at Carlisle United this season and maybe their run to the fourth round of the cup took it’s toll on their play off chances. It is a minor miracle that they even managed to finish 10th considering that for most of the winter Brunton Park was under water and they had to play their home games at Blackpool’s Bloomfield Road and Blackburn’s Ewood Park. For a lot of the season the Cumbrians were a tough team to beat and whether on the road or at home they provided a tough test for even the very best in league 2. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Carlisle up there in the loftier positions of League 2 come the end of next season, surely a play-off place is within their grasp.
Carlisle were defeated by Premier league Everton for which it has been a very up and down season. At times when they were in full flow the Toffees looked capable of beating anyone, defensively though they have been pretty poor and when Lukaku went through a barren spell in front of goal the results meant that the writing was always on the wall for Roberto Martinez. 11th in the league and a semi final defeat in the Fa cup meant that Everton would be looking for a new manager over the Summer.
So after all that I am now a Manchester United fan for Saturday afternoon. This glory hunt though has been really about the small clubs not the bigger ones who do not have the same love as those in the lower leagues for this famous old competition. For the big teams it is an opportunity to win another trophy, but for the lowest of the competitors who have to start in the middle of August in the extra pre-lim round and those who join later before the 3rd round it is all about pulling a big team out of the hat and making some money to keep that little club in business for another year. It could mean the difference between having to sell your best player for peanuts or being able to hold onto him that little bit longer, it could for some teams mean the difference between keeping the club going and not.
For the fans, as I am, the Fa cup has always been special no matter what round you come in at. I am not Man Utd or a Crystal Palace fan but I will be watching the final just as i do every year, Why? Because it is special and no matter who is in the final I will watch it. It’s the Cup final, and I have watched every one since 1980 without fail.
As a Dagenham and Redbridge fan I have had many ups and downs in the cup and next year following my teams relegation they will be going in at a lower level than we have been used to for the last 9 years. The Daggers will be coming in at the last qualifying round and this time we are going to be seen as a scalp. I will still be looking forward to it though just as I did the first time I saw my team play in the Fa cup.
Anyway back to the show piece on Saturday afternoon and continuing the theme of non-league football there will be two players who could start the final who both began their careers way down the football pyramid.
Chris Smalling began his senior career at Maidstone United in 2007/2008, after being a youth player with the Stones. He moved to Fulham in 2008 before Manchester United snapped up the England centre back in 2010. Smalling has become first choice for both his club and his Country at the back over the last couple of seasons and his improvements as a player have been obvious for everyone to see. The Red Devils will be relying a lot on the 26 year old on Saturday if they are to walk off the the Wembley pitch as winners.
Smalling may however have his hands full though if Alan Pardew decides to play another former non league player, in the form of striker Dwight Gayle.
Dwight Gayle began his football career in 2009 for Essex Senior League side Stanstead, after scoring 40 goals in 42 appearances, Dagenham and Redbridge manager John Still decided to bring him to Victoria Road., he was mediately sent out on loan to the, then Conference North team Bishops Stortford. Gayle was only sent out on loan as the Daggers couldn’t afford to pay his wages. He made 42 appearances and scored 29 times at that level before playing just 18 games for Dagenham and scoring 7 goals. He went to Peterborough before joining Crystal Palace in 2013. Having seen this young man first hand I have to say he is one of the most natural finishers I have ever clapped eyes on, he has great movement. If he gets a chance in the final he could be the difference on the day and if another former non league player Yanick Bolasie , who incidentally started at Hillingdon Borough, can provide the service, the Eagles could pull off a huge upset.
I am looking forward to the game as always and hopefully it will be a cracker.
Up the Red Devils!!
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