FA Cup Trail

[JAS1984]

Hi - first time poster, be kind So this season I decided to embark on an adventure, picking a local team in the extra preliminary round of the FA Cup (way back in August) and following the winner from round to round - whoever it may be, wherever it may be. It's not been easy, but seven months later the trail is still going and I haven't missed a match. I've funded the journey exclusively myself and taken public transport everywhere, including an overnight coach trip from Bradford to Essex to get into work for 9 after a midweek replay. The path has taken me from Suffolk, via Kent, Surrey, Hertforshire, Yorkshire, London, and I am now 'with' Reading, having watched them in two cracking quarter final games - you have a new adopted fan! The reasons I'm doing this are two-fold. 1. Because it's something I have wanted to 'achieve' ever since I was a boy, and 2. Because I am raising money for the MS Society in memory of my uncle, a big football fan and influence on my life who sadly lost his life to that disease. I am now two steps away from completing this quest, and if I can somehow get a ticket for the semi-final I look forward to cheering Reading all the way!

My trail so far has been:

1. Extra preliminary round: Haverhill Rovers (level 9) 0 - 3 FC Romania (9) Att: 99
2. Preliminary round: FC Romania (9) 2 - 1 Heybridge Swifts (8) Att: 131
3. 1st qualifying round: AFC Sudbury (8) 1 - 3 FC Romania (9) Att: 290
4. 2nd qualifying round: FC Romania (9) 2 - 3 Sutton United (6) Att: 242
5. 3rd qualifying round: Sutton United (6) 1 - 3 Burgess Hill Town (8) Att: 566
6. 4th qualifying round: Dartford (5) 3 - 1 Burgess Hill Town (8) Att: 929
7. 1st round proper: Bromley (6) 3 - 4 Dartford (5) Att: 4,105,
8. 2nd round proper: Bradford City (3) 4 - 1 Dartford (5) Att: 5,373
9. 3rd round proper: Millwall (2) 3 - 3 Bradford City (3) Att: 5,470
9R. 3rd round proper replay: Bradford City (3) 4 - 0 Millwall (2) Att: 11,869
10. 4th round proper: Chelsea (1) 2 - 4 Bradford City (3) Att: 41,014
11. 5th round proper: Bradford (3) 2 - 0 Sunderland (1) Att: 24,021
12. 6th round proper: Bradford (3) 0 - 0 Reading (2) Att: 24,321
12R. 6th round proper replay: Reading (2) 3 - 0 Bradford (3) Att: 22,908
13. Semi Final: Reading (2) - Arsenal (1) Att: ?
14. Final:

A photostream of my photos from extra preliminary round to quarter final

https://www.flickr.com/photos/128694831@N07/

Best wishes to all

James

[AthleticoSpizz]

Love the pics......and your optimism!

Well done

[Whatevs]

Family club of the year

[gdroyal]

Family club of the year

Kid has learnt from his family well

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

Another non league games looking for a ticket

[Huntley & Palmer]

SOUTHSAXON has already beaten you to it I'm afraid

[SOUTHSAXON]

SOUTHSAXON has already beaten you to it I'm afraid

We have been on the same trail since Sutton v Burgess hill and got to meet up at Bradford v Sunderland!

[Huntley & Palmer]

Who is the better looking?

[genome]

meat up

[SOUTHSAXON]

Who is the better looking?

Both crackers!

[JAS1984]

Yep, it was great to meet SOUTHSAXON and discover I'm not the only one mad enough to do this He started off the trail with his son, I with my father, but we've both gone solo since then. Our trails have been linked for ten games now. Fingers crossed it isn't the end of the road...!

[tidus_mi2]

Yep, it was great to meet SOUTHSAXON and discover I'm not the only one mad enough to do this He started off the trail with his son, I with my father, but we've both gone solo since then. Our trails have been linked for ten games now. Fingers crossed it isn't the end of the road...!

Wembley's gonna be a difficult one for you guys, especially with the ticketing policy enforced by the club, still it would be better having 2 neutrals amongst us then 2 bloody Arsenal fans.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

They can both sod off.
Typical modern shite, follow your own team, not the cup.
Next year there will be more trying this.
Go do.the Grounds thing, much better. All grounds in a season.

[The Real Sandhurst Royal]

The FA will have some spare tickets for you as they keep enough from the supporting fans.

[SOUTHSAXON]

They can both sod off.
Typical modern shite, follow your own team, not the cup.
Next year there will be more trying this.
Go do.the Grounds thing, much better. All grounds in a season.

I think we are in good company,as reading have 11,000 more semi tickets than their league average attendance! Controversial

[6 Million Dollar Man]

I too was at Bromley v Dartford...great game, two sides who gave absolutely everything, and now Bromley looking good for promotion to the Conference proper next season

[Winchester Royal]

Maybe James, Rory, Carl and Lynsey can all have a big meat-up?

In all seriousness, it does look like an interesting journey to have taken and I admire the resourcefulness in terms of getting tickets and making the effort to travel by public transport to wherever the draw sent you. Now we're at the semi-final stage I'm sure you appreciate the scarcity of tickets and good luck to you if you can get them. Great pics too.

[Harpers So Solid Crew]

And average attendance is no indication of how many fans have watched us this season at all. But you know that.

[SOUTHSAXON]

And average attendance is no indication of how many fans have watched us this season at all. But you know that.

Just taking part in the legendary hob nob banter

[Maguire]

Yep, it was great to meet SOUTHSAXON and discover I'm not the only one mad enough to do this He started off the trail with his son, I with my father, but we've both gone solo since then. Our trails have been linked for ten games now. Fingers crossed it isn't the end of the road...!

I'm certain you'll end up with a ticket. You know how these things go - last minute drop outs, spares begged here and there, 31000 Reading tickets knocking about, something will come up.