Non-League and Academy football writer

On Sunday afternoon (kick-off is at 12:30pm) at Wembley Stadium, AFC Stoneham and Cockfosters FC will compete to be the winners of this seasons’ highly prestigious FA Vase. It will be a very historic day for both clubs, in what will be their very first time playing at Wembley in the final of this great competition, which is one of my favourite competitions in football.

AFC Stoneham entered this seasons’ FA Vase at the second round proper stage, and this seasons’ Premier Division Champions of the Wessex Football League (step 5) would win 4-3 away to another step 5 side, Kidlington FC. They would then beat Cinderford Town 4-0 in round three, which set up an away tie with Barnstaple Town in round four, which they would win 2-1. In the fifth round AFC Stoneham faced another very good side, in Haywards Heath Town (away). After a 1-1 draw in regulation time, AFC Stoneham would advance into the quarter-finals stage of the FA Vase, where they faced Coventry United. And AFC Stoneham would make it into the semi-finals of the competition, with a good 3-0 win.

After two legs in the semi-finals, where they faced Hallen, AFC Stoneham would make it to Wembley in deserved fashion, with a 6-1 win (on aggregate) after those two legs. Gavin Kelsey’s Cockfosters side entered the FA Vase in the second qualifying round, where they beat Long Melford (away) 4-0. A quite remarkable win on penalties (12-11 to Cockfosters) followed, after a 0-0 draw in the first round proper, at home to fellow Spartan South Midlands Football League Premier Division side, Tring Athletic. In the second round of the competition, Cockfosters would meet another club from their league (step 5), in AFC Welwyn. And despite that game finishing in a 2-2 draw, Cockfosters would advance on penalties, into the next round.

Round three came with it the challenge of facing a very good Essex Senior League side, in Soul Tower Hamlets. After a 1-1 draw at their Chalk Lane ground, Cockfosters would advance into round four, with yet another win on penalties. And after beating Crawley Down Gatwick (away) 2-1 in the next round, Cockfosters would then meet the current holders, in Whitstable Town, in round five. That game would end in a 1-1 draw, with Cockfosters showing great composure on penalties, to make it into the quarter-finals. 

To the north of England next for Cockfosters, who faced Droylsden away, in the quarter-finals. And they would once again put in a big team performance, to win that game 4-2. Then in the semi-finals and after a 1-1 draw with Punjab United in the first leg, Cockfosters would win the second leg in Kent, 2-0, as they confirmed their place in the final at Wembley Stadium.

Of the 623 clubs who entered this seasons’ FA Vase, there have been some wonderful stories. But, tomorrow afternoon it will be one of AFC Stoneham or Cockfosters who will lift the FA Vase at the national stadium. I wish both sides well for this big game, but I must say, that I will be supporting Cockfosters FC in this big cup final, with them being quite a local team, who I have a lot of respect for as a club, and also for their excellent manager, Gavin Kelsey.