It’s November, and AFC Telford United are still in the FA Cup?

Rich Worton looks at the FA Cup run AFC Telford find themselves in

Hmm, so run that by me again… It’s November, and AFC Telford United are still in the FA Cup?

It may be hard to believe for anyone who is at least casually acquainted with the Bucks’ recent history; however, if you ask regular supporters at the SEAH Stadium, they’ll probably tell you that there’s a very different feel around the Bucks right now.

A look at the Enterprise National League North table might not provide the evidence of that, at least not yet. After earning promotion back to Step 2 of the National League system last season, the Bucks have taken a few matches to settle in; however, they are starting to believe they have no reason to fear any team in the division.

They’ve carried that attitude into three FA Cup qualifying ties so far, knocking out Kidderminster Harriers, Evesham United and Darlington, to reach the first round for the first time since 2017.

Thirteen goals have flowed in those three matches, including a 6-0 demolition of Darlington on their own pitch.

Manager Kevin Wilkin openly admits that the group he’s assembled are enthusing him hugely. With several more experienced players at the team’s core, Wilkin’s decision to bring in the brightest and best young Midlands-based players he could find looks to be paying off.

The likes of Remi Walker, Jamie Meddows, Charlie Williams, Rhys Hilton and Ammar Dyer are testing themselves at a level many have never played at previously, but possess a fearlessness and a desire to show what they’re capable of.

Central defender Oliver Cawthorne, aged just 23, is another of the Bucks’ youth movement, having arrived at the club from South America. Born in Venezuela with an English father and Venezuelan mother, he has played professionally in Venezuela and Panama, but is relishing his experiences in English football.

The FA Cup victory at Darlington was a result Oliver was thrilled to be a part of:

“I think we knew there’d be a game where our chances started going in, and frankly, this was one of those where everything we touched just went. It was a bit like King Midas turning everything to gold. It was fantastic.” 

Progression in the Emirates FA Cup is always bound to attract attention. For a semi-professional club like the Bucks, the opportunity to pit themselves against higher-ranked opposition is a significant one.

It wasn’t quite the dream draw that the club’s supporters might have hoped for. League One of the EFL includes several clubs with Premier League pasts, such as Cardiff City, Bolton Wanderers, Huddersfield Town, Wigan Athletic and Luton Town.

Being drawn against any of those teams, either at home or away, would command a big payday with live TV coverage or a sizable crowd.

Whilst that wasn’t to be, being paired with National League side Sutton United, only one division above the Bucks, does present them with a genuine chance of progression, and the potential for a bigger tie down the line.

Sutton, an EFL team for three seasons following their unlikely National League title win in 2021, are now back in the National League and, after a mid-table finish last season, are languishing towards the bottom of the table.

The U’s, as they are known, or sometimes the Amber and Chocolates, are already under their second manager of the season. Steve Morison, the former Cardiff City, Leeds United, and Millwall striker, departed last month. After being knocked back by one of the leading candidates, they appointed Chris Agutter, who left Worthing to take the job.

Sutton took two ties to defeat Farnham Town, an upwardly mobile team from two levels below them financially backed by YouTubers the Sidemen, a YouTube channel. It took until virtually the last kick of extra-time for the U’s to find a way, Will Tizzard netting their winner.

With a solitary league victory to their name, along with six draws and eight defeats, Sutton desperately needs the confidence boost that a Cup run of their own could provide; however, they’ll know that the Bucks are the side with nothing to lose and everything to gain.

On another level, the Bucks’ tie against Sutton pits two clubs whose names stir memories of FA Cup giant-killing in the past. It’s now forty years since Telford United reached the fifth round of the Cup, and it took an Everton side en route to being champions of England to knock Stan Storton’s side out.

Sutton had their day in the sun a few years later, knocking out Coventry City only two years after the Sky Blues won the Cup in 1987.

They’ve enjoyed some more since then, knocking out Leeds United en route to a fifth-round televised tie against Arsenal.

In unprecedented scenes, the Sutton goalkeeping coach Wayne Shaw scranned a pasty on the touchline as his team lost 2-0. The pasty was probably the more memorable event, bringing Shaw a ban for colluding on betting with a bookmaker linked to a national newspaper (think Sutton without the ‘tto’) and resigning from his role soon after, making it the costliest pasty ever.

Can the Bucks repeat such scenes today? Will they take a bite out of the higher-ranked team? Will Sutton be flaky? And crucially, will someone eat a pastry-based comestible on the touchline?

Replays have ceased to be a feature in the Emirates FA Cup after the qualifying rounds, so if the Bucks are going to progress, they have to do it on the day; there are no second chances, although extra-time and penalties may be necessary.

If they are successful, expect the names of Jordan Piggott, Remi Walker and Matty Stenson to be on more people’s lips around the town.