Even though County slipped on a non-league banana skin just six days ago, I absolutely adore the FA Cup. It’s still a magical competition in my eyes. In fact, I’m currently writing a big feature on County’s trip to Goodison Park in January 1996, which I’m really looking forward to sharing with you next week as my little Christmas gift to readers! (I’ve actually just got off the phone with someone who played at Everton that day…)
Last season, on Saturday 26 November 2022, County travelled to Charlton Athletic in the competition. For us, it was chapter two of that campaign’s FA Cup adventure. A last-gasp Myles Hippolyte equaliser forced a replay, which we won, but our road to Wembley ended in chapter three with Walsall winning at Edgeley Park.
The day after County’s game at The Valley, RM Clark was at the Pirelli Stadium watching Burton Albion take on Chippenham Town. That was also a second round proper fixture, but for RM Clark, this was already chapter eight of his personal FA Cup odyssey, having followed the competition all the way from the extra preliminary round back in August.
As with the previous rounds, the author continued to follow whichever team progressed, ending up at Wembley in June to see Manchester Citeh lift the trophy after beating United 2-1. Fourteen rounds in total, producing fourteen chapters of an excellent new book capturing the heart and soul of the competition from the first kick to the last. With original research and rich, thought-provoking prose, the book blends elements of travel writing with football culture and barstool sociology. It's also funny.
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