As announced by the Football Association today, West will face Shildon in the First Round of the Buildbase FA Vase. The tie will be played at Shildon’s Dean Street stadium in County Durham (DL4 1EZ) with the game provisionally arranged for Saturday 12th October 2019 – which will also be Non-League Day. As a result, it is expected that our previously scheduled league fixture against Wythenshawe Amateurs will be re-arranged for another date.

Sildon play in the Northern League Division One (one level above West, but in the North East), where they finished 6th last season. They’re currently sat in the same position during this campaign, and have beaten Tow Law Town (home tie, 3-0, first qualifying round) and Easlington Collieries (away tie, 2-1, second qualifying round) to get to this stage. They excited the FA Cup at the first time of asking, losing to Garforth Town on a replay. Their best performance in the FA Vase was as beaten semi-finalists back in 2012-13.

If West were to win this tie, it would mark their best performance ever in the competition – to get to this point, West got a walkover against Egerton in the First Qualifying Round, before beating higher level opposition Runcorn Town 1-0 in the Second Qualifying Round last weekend.

Any further announcements – including any potential travel arrangements – will be announced on our site in due course.