The First Round of the FA Youth Cup will be drawn this weekend, with the young Imps hoping for another run as in previous seasons.
Last season, the Imps reached the Fourth Round, beating Lichfield, Bolton and Wrexham on the way. The draw was not kind, sending us to Plymouth Argyle, where we were beaten 5-4 on penalties. That result looks decent given what happened next – Plymouth knocked out Everton in the Fifth Round, and lost to eventual winners Aston Villa in the Quarter Finals.
553 clubs are eligible for the competition, with 124 going into the draw for the First Round. That’s 45 from the EFL, as well as those who have come through the qualifying stages. There are not 48 because Accrington Stanley closed their academy, while Barrow and Crawley Town will not participate in this round as they did not apply to enter the competition.
Thus far, a number of teams from the non-league scene have qualified. They are Radcliffe, Mangotsfield United, Hertford Town, Walton & Hersham, Tonbridge Angels, Kidderminster Harriers, Boldmere St. Michaels, AFC Telford United, Burgess Hill Town, Slough Town, Erith Town, Tiverton Town, Oxford City, Carlisle United, Merstham, Forest Green Rovers, Chippenham Town, FC Halifax Town, Easington Sports, Hamble Club, and Bracknell Town.
Easington Sports, Hamble Club, and Mangotsfield United are all tier nine sides, the lowest in the competiton. Additionally, a number of ties have yet to be played. Some are this evening, while others are on Friday.
Thursday 16th October
York City v Boro Rangers
Chester v Liversedge
Royston Town v Loughborough Students
Aylestone Park v Bedford Town
Bishop’s Stortford v Haverhill Rovers
Needham Market v Billericay Town
Cambridge City v Colney Heath
AFC Sudbury v Southend United
Friday 17th October
Macclesfield v Hartlepool United
Marine v Stockport Town
Stockton Town v North Ferriby
Eastbourne Borough v Northwood
Wingate & Finchley v Dorking Wanderers
AFC Rushden & Diamonds v Wellingborough Town
Imps First Round History
The First Round has been kind to us in the past in terms of levels, but not in terms of location. Last season we played away at step nine side Lichfield, winning 5-0 with a Dakara Wifa hat trick, plus goals from current senior pros Bola Okewoye and Zane Okoro.
We played Notts County away the season, Okoro netting twice in a 3-0 win, but were at home to Doncaster Rovers in 2022/23, winning 3-1. That was the only home tie we’ve had since 2017/18, as in 2020/21, a competition disrupted by COVID, we travelled to Solihull Moors, winning 3-0 with Draper and Hayden Cann on the scoresheet.
2021/22 was not kind to us – we went away to step ten side Aylestone Park, but were beaten 3-1 on penalties after a 4-4 draw. We had a decent side out as well – Oisin Gallagher, Freddie Draper, Billy Brooks and Jovon Makama scored in a game we should have won.
We were even away in 2019/20, beating Rushall Athletic 4-0, and in 2018/19 when we beat Shrewsbury Town, then of the third tier, 1-0.