It seems but five minutes ago since Crystal Palace became the latest name to be etched onto the famous cup. The 2025-26 competition gets underway on the weekend of 2nd August, with the Extra Preliminary Round. As last season I am selecting two ties, one from the Northern and one from the Southern section, with which we will start the RED and GREEN batons. The PURPLE baton will come into play in the First Qualifying Round, when Havant & Waterlooville enter the competition. The BLUE baton will make its entree in Round THREE, when Pompey will be hoping to do a little better than last season. My selected Extra Preliminary matches to follow shortly
EXTRA PRELIMINARY ROUND BURY v SOUTH LIVERPOOL Bury: With the original team, having been thrown out of the Football League in the 2018-19 season, the phoenix club Bury AFC merged with Bury FC to form a new club at Gigg Lane in 2023. They are newly promoted to The Northern Premier League, Division One West, which is at Level 8. The original Shakers won the FA Cup in 1900 and 1903. Last season they were 90 minutes away from the First Round proper, but were knocked out in the Fourth Qualifying Round by Harborough Town. South Liverpool: The South are a level below their hosts. The two sides were league opponents last season. While the Shakers won the league,they finished near the wrong end of the table, ending up 20th (out of 24) Their best cup run came in 1919-20 when they reached the 'Sixth Qualifying Round' before losing 1-2 at home to Rochdale. Last season they went out in a Preliminary Round Replay at Witton Albion. EVERSLEY & CALIFORNIA v HORNDEAN Eversley & California: The Boars are newly promoted to The Combined Counties League, Premier Division South (Level 9), having won the Division One play-offs. This season sees them making their debut in the FA Cup, as level 10 teams have limited access, with sides invited to apply if there are any vacant spots after teams up to Level 9 have entered. Horndean: The Deans are in the Isthmian League South Central Division. This is at Level 8, putting the visitors a level higher than their hosts in the pyramid. Their best run came two seasons ago, when they reached the Second Qualifying Round. Last season they went out at Shepton Mallet in the Extra Preliminary Round. Ties to be played on the weekend of 2nd August
Our Extra Preliminary Round results are in. BURY 6-0 South Liverpool Eversley & California 0-1 HORNDEAN So it's the Shakers and the Deans who carry their respective batons into The Preliminary Round
PREMININARY ROUND Stalybridge Celtic v BURY The Celts are in The Northern Premier League Division One West, making the visitors league opponents They have reached ROUND TWO three times, most recently in 1999-2000 Unlike Bury, they were not required to partake in the Extra Preliminary Round, so are entering the competition at this stage. Last season they went out in the PRELIMINARY ROUND, going down 0-1 to Widnes. HORNDEAN v Laverstock & Ford Lavvy are in the Wessex League Premier Division. This places them at Level Nine, which is a level lower than the hosts. Their best performance came in 2022-23 when they reached the SECOND QUALIFYING ROUND. They are here after being taken to a replay by Cowes Sports in the opening round. Last season they reached the FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND, where they went out 1-2 to Bishop's Cleeve in a replay Both games kick of at 15:00 on Saturday 16th August
Today's results: Stalybridge Celtic 1-1 BURY Replay on Tuesday at 19:45 HORNDEAN 0-2 Laverstock So LAVERSTOCK carry the green baton into the FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND
Preliminary Round Replay BURY 0-2 Stalybridge Celtic So it's the Celts who take the Red baton into the First Qualifying Round, a round that also introduces the Purple baton as The Hawks enter the competition FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND Workington v STALYBRIDGE CELTIC The Reds are in the Northern Premier League Premier Division. At Level 7 they are a step higher in the pyramid than the Celts They were the penultimate team to lose their League status under the re-election system, being replaced my Wimbledon at the end of the 1976-77 season. The final unfortunate side would prove to be Southport a year later, when they lost the vote to Wigan Athletic. They reached ROUND FOUR in 1933-34 as a non-league side, going out to Preston North End in a season that saw the Lilywhites gain promotion to the First Division. They went out 0-1 to Hebburn Town in the FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND last season They are entering at this stage Hythe & Dibden v LAVERSTOCK & FORD The hosts are in the Wessex League Premier Division, the same league as the visitors This appearance in the FIRST QUALIFYING ROUND equals their best, which they previously achieved in 2019-20. Last season they lost 4-2 at Andover New Street in the EXTRA PRELIMINARY ROUND They have so far disposed of Portland Utd and New Milton Town HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE v Chichester City The Lilywhites are in the Isthmian League Premier Division, putting them on a par with the Hawks in the non-league pyramid, at Level 7. They reached ROUND TWO in 2019-20, losing 5-1 away to Tranmere Rovers Last season they lost 2-1 at Slough Town in a SECOND QUALIFYING ROUND REPLAY. They are entering the competition at this stage. Ties to be played on the week-end of Saturday 30th August
Results: Workington 2-3 STALYBRIDGE CELTIC Hythe & Dibden 1-2 LAVERSTOCK & FORD HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE 0-1 Chichester City
SECOND QUALIFYING ROUND STALYBRIDGE CELTIC v Chester The Seals are in National League North, which places them two tiers higher than their hosts. A Chester side which included Ian Rush in its lineup reached ROUND FIVE in 1979-80 Last season they went down 3-1 at Scarborough in the FOURTH QUALIFYING ROUND. They are entering the cup in this round. Salisbury v LAVERSTOCK & FORD The Whites are in National League South, so are three levels higher than Lavvy in the pyramid. Salisbury City reached ROUND TWO in 1959-60 Last season they lost 1-2 at home to Bath in the THIRD QUALIFYING ROUND. They are entering the cup in this round. Whitstable Town v CHICHESTER CITY The Oystermen play in the Southern Counties East League Premier Division, at level 9. This places them two levels below the visitors They have reached the THIRD QUALIFYING ROUND on three occasions, most recently in 1989-90 Last season they went out in the EXTRA PRELIMINARY ROUND with a 2-1 defeat at Sevenoaks Town This season they have so far knocked out Ling field, Edgware and Dulwich Hamlet.
SECOND QUALIFYING ROUND Results STALYBRIDGE CELTIC 1-2 Chester Salisbury 4-1 LAVERSTOCK & FORD Whitstable Town 1-1 CHICHESTER CITY Replay CHICHESTER CITY 0-1 Whitstable Town So all three batons will change hands for the next round.
THIRD QUALIFYING ROUND CHESTER v Curzon Ashton The Nash are in National League North, the same division as the hosts They have reached ROUND TWO twice, most recently in 2016-17 Last season they reached ROUND ONE before going down 0-4 at home to Mansfield Town. They are here on the back of a 4-1 home win over Hebburn Town. SALISBURY v Dorking Wanderers The Wanderers are also league opponents of their hosts in National League South. They reached the FOURTH QUALIFYING ROUND in three consecutive seasons, from 2021-22 - 2023-24. Last season they went down 1-0 at Horsham in the SECOND QUALIFYING ROUND. They are here thanks to a 7-2 home win over Wingate & Finchley. WHITSTABLE TOWN v Hungerford Town The Crusaders are in the Southern League Premier Division South, which, at level 7, is two levels higher than the hosts. They reached ROUND ONE in 1979-80 Last season they lost 0-1 to Winchester City in the SECOND QUALIFYING ROUND. They have so far knocked out AFC Stoneham and Swindon Supermarine. Ties to be played on the weekend of Saturday 27 September.
THIRD QUALIFYING ROUND results: CHESTER 5-1 Curzon Ashton SALISBURY 1-1 Dorking Wanderers replay Dorking Wanderers 4-2 SALISBURY WHITSTABLE TOWN 2-0 Hungerford Town
FOURTH QUALIFYING ROUND Morecambe v CHESTER The Shrimps are in the National League after their relegation from League Two. They are a division higher than the visitors They have reached ROUND THREE on seven occasions, including the past two seasons. Last season they went down 5-0 at Chelsea in ROUND THREE. They are entering the cup in this round. DORKING WANDERERS v Aldershot The shots are in the National League, a level higher than the baton holders. Their best cup run saw them reach ROUND FOUR in 2012-13, although the original club, which folded in 1992 reached ROUND FIVE in 1932-33 and 1978-79. Last season they lost 3-1 at Bradford City in ROUND ONE. They are entering the competition at this stage. Wealdstone v WHITSTABLE TOWN The Stones are in the National League, which is four levels higher than the visitors, who are the lowest ranked side still standing. Their best run came in 1977-78, when they reached ROUND THREE. Last season they reached ROUND TWO before losing 0-2 at home to Wycombe Wanderers. They complete a trio of National League opponents for the baton holders, so are also joining in this round. Fixtures to be played on the weekend of Saturday 11th October, with the victors entering ROUND ONE, alongside the teams from Leagues One & Two
