FA Cup First Draw Draw Reaction – Who Will Be On TV?

My first thought on seeing the cup draw was ‘well, we might be on the telly’.

Salford and the Class of ’92 have always interested the TV cameras, and with them playing host to a high-flying League One club, there is a chance it’ll be on the box. More on that later.

Salford are a new name to us. We’ve never met them competitively, although there was an official pre-season friendly between the two clubs, ending in a 2-0 win for us back in the 2021/22 season. A year prior, we had a behind-closed-doors friendly with them, losing 1-0.

There have been a number of players who have appeared for both clubs in recent seasons, such as Hakeeb Adelakun, Bruno Andrade, Nathan Arnold, Robbie Gotts, Matt Green, Callum Morton and Michael O’Connor. Last season, Frankie Okoronkwo was there on loan as well.

The Ammies are currently ninth in League Two, with six wins, five defeats and a draw. They’ve scored 17 and conceded 17 under manager Karl Robinson, a face we’re familiar with. We’ll also be familiar with one of their players: former Imp Jorge Grant is in their current squad. Other names we’ll recognise include Cole Stockton, former Liverpool winger Ben Woodburn and Rosaire Longelo, who once scored a last-minute winner for a League Two side (Accrington Stanley) to knock us out of the EFL Trophy.

Games are currently scheduled for November 1st, 3 pm kick off, but a number will be moved for TV. Last year, one was shown at 7:45 pm on Friday, one at 5:30 pm on Saturday, two were shown on Sunday and one, us, was broadcast on Monday night.

Assuming the schedule is more or less the same, that means five are likely to be shown on TV. Which stand out? Last year, Birmingham and Wrexham, darlings of the cameras, both got shown, as well as Tamworth at home to Huddersfield.

Northampton and Kettering was a derby on the box, and Chesham against us was a little club hosting a big club.

Applying similar logic, one would suggest that Luton playing either Forest Green or Worthing would be shown, especially if it’s Robbie Savage against Jack Wilshere. Outside of that, we’re seemingly unlikely to get an all non-league game (none were shown last season, despite there being four such ties).

We’ve got a good chance of being shown, but that also means a strong chance of having a decent away day moved. Here’s the draw in full, I have put the five I think might be picked in italics.

FA Cup first-round draw in full