Fourth Qualifying round next Saturday. Used to be quite interesting to consider where/who we might be playing. Hopefully not another league team, maybe a 'rival' from non league times, or somewhere we've never been before. It somehow doesn't seem to matter as much this season. Anyway here's the draw for the 4th qualifying round.

The North

1 Darlington v Cambridge City
2 Stafford Rangers v Skelmersdale United
3 Solihull Moors v Wrexham
4 Banbury United v Bury Town
5 South Shields v FA Halifax Town
6 Ilkeston Town v Hartlepool United
7 FC United of Manchester v Guiseley
8 Brackley Town v Marske United
9 Kings Lynn Town v Notts County
10 Stockport County v Chesterfield
11 AFC Fylde v Altrincham
12 Chester v Marine
*Chorley (bye to first round proper)

The South

13 Maidenhead United v Cray Valley (PM)
14 Canvey Island v Cray Wanderers
15 Wealdstone v Hayes & Yeading United
16 Sutton United v Bromley
17 Tonbridge Angels v Taunton Town
18 Hemel Hempsted Town v Hampton & Richmond Borough
19 Aldershot Town v Woking
20 Maldon & Tiptree v Haringey Borough
21 Dagenham & Redbridge v Hartley Wintney
22 Leiston v Barnet
23 Weymouth v Oxford City
24 Eastbourne Borough v Dulwich Hamlet
25 Eastleigh v Weston-Super-Mare
26 Sholing v Torquay United
27 Bath City v Havant & Waterlooville
28 Boreham Wood v Wimborne Town
29 Yeovil Town v Dover Athletic
30 Bishop's Stortford v St Albans City
31 Concord Rangers v Chippenham Town

A lot of former league clubs there.

Blackandamber wrote:A lot of former league clubs there.

Agree....thanks Les

There is still the money for a cup run,even if we can’t be there to see it.

Blackandamber wrote:A lot of former league clubs there.

I counted 12, not including Halifax or Bury Town.

This might be a "whoosh", but Bury Town is Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk.

Am I right in assuming that the first round proper is not being regionalised this year?
When is the draw?

OLDCROMWELLIAN wrote:Am I right in assuming that the first round proper is not being regionalised this year?
When is the draw?

First round hasn't been regionalised for many years, if indeed it ever was. Remember, our visit to Blackpool was in the first round.

I always thought Round 1 was regionalised (though Colchester away in 1981/2 suggests the region was pretty broad).

According to this, there are no replays and payouts are reduced. 22K goes to first round winners.

https://groundhopperguides.com/2020-21-fa-cup-schedule/

Edit: looking at the full fixtures (of 1981/2, I know, I know ) it's pretty evident Round 1 was divided north/south.

I don't know the date, but it was definitely regionalised historically. I think the year we played Blackpool would have been one of the first when it wasn't.

It stopped being regionalised after the 97-98 season.

DT1892 wrote:It stopped being regionalised after the 97-98 season.

So, on balance, we haven't been sent oop North very often. Three First round ties in non league? Blackpool, Swansea and Shrewsbury and since getting back in the league, how many first round northern ties? I can think of Alfreton but are there others?

George Street-Bridge wrote:This might be a "whoosh", but Bury Town is Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk.

That reminds me of the old joke :-

We're going to Bury St Edmunds.

I didn't know he was dead.

Stockport v Chesterfield in a qualifying round doesn't seem right somehow

allontheamber wrote:Stockport v Chesterfield in a qualifying round doesn't seem right somehow

Neither does a League game between Forest Green and Harrogate, come to think of it.