West Didsbury & Chorlton will begin their journey to Wembley in the Emirate’s FA Cup on Saturday 11th August with the visit of fellow NCWFL Premier Division side Squires Gate in the Extra Preliminary Qualifying Round.
This will be the second time West and Squires Gate have met in the FA Cup where, despite goals from Matty Kay and Ash Woods, the seasiders ran out 3-2 winners back in 2016 in a thrilling game at Brookburn Road.
This will mark the sixth season in which West have qualified for the FA Cup with the first being back in 2013 when they defeated Abbey Hey 2-0 at Brookburn Road. That day Tre Baldwin-Willis and Anthony Potts entered the clubs history books as the first two ever goalscorers for the club in the competition.
Squires Gate were also the visitors last season on the now famous Non-League Dog Day in which West ran out 4-2 winners thanks to goals from Ben Steer (2), Tom Bailey and Matty Kay.
As well as taking one step closer to Wembley the winning team will receive £2,250 in prize money (the losing team will receive £750) with the FA having announced their intentions to double FA Cup prize money this season.
The winners will be rewarded with a trip to Evo-Stik League side Droylsden in the Preliminary Qualifying Round with the game set to take place on Saturday 25th August, 3pm KO. The winners of this tie will receive £2,890 with the losers receiving £960.
Former members of the NWCFL having won Division Two in 1986/87 before joining the Unibond League, ‘The Bloods’ played in the National League as recently as 2008 before their re-entry into the Evo-Stik league in 2013 having spent the last four seasons in Division One North finishing 13th for the last two seasons.
Droyslden have a famous FA Cup pedigree having reached the second round proper in 2009 and 2011 where they exited to Chesterfield and Leyton Orient respectively.
Should West progress beyond this stage for the first time in their history the First Qualifying Round will take place on Saturday 8th September.
