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No less than 759 teams entered this season and that means the competition gets underway with an extra-preliminary round on Saturday 14th August. After some debate we've chosen a game to start our cup run.
My initial choice was the game between Spennymoor Town and Bedlington Terriers, that idea having a lot to do with the fact that Brian O'Neil, our very own Bedlington Terrier, was one of my favourite players in the 1960s.
Eventually, the decision was made to choose a local club. Nelson and Padiham were the potential options, but with Nelson now having withdrawn from the Vodkat League and the FA Cup it means we will be starting our campaign with Padiham.
They are the most appropriate of the clubs in this early round. They are the closest geographically to Turf Moor, our chairman Barry Kilby played for them, and their home ground at the Arbories was used on a number of occasions for the fundraising Clarets Madiham days.
Their opponents are Staveley Miners Welfare and hopefully they will return from Derbyshire with a win and we'll be able to follow them into the preliminary round itself two weeks later.
With the early draws made we know that whoever wins the game will play at home against either Ashton Athletic or Parkgate in the preliminary round and one of those four will then go on to play Leek COSB or Bootle or Warrington Town at home in the First Round Qualifying.
When and where do these 759 teams join the competition?
No less than 402 of them play in the extra-preliminary round, although with Nelson's demise that total is now 401 with their scheduled opponents Atherton LR being granted a walkover.
A further 131 teams will join the 201 winners in the preliminary round. All of the teams to have played in either or both of these rounds will be below the Premier Division of the Evo-Stik, Zamaretto and Ryman Leagues.
A total of 166 teams will have won through those two rounds and they will be joined in the First Round Qualifying by the 66 teams from the Premier Divisions of the three leagues referenced in the paragraph above.
The 44 teams in the Blue Square Bet North and South will go in at the Second Round Qualifying with no further additions in the round to follow. The Blue Square Bet Premier League teams enter at the Fourth Round Qualifying stage and after that round there will be 32 non-league teams remaining in the competition.
That takes us into the First Round Proper and the entry of teams from Leagues One and Two with the Premier League and Championship the last to enter two rounds later.
The draw for the extra-preliminary round is:
Ryton v Scarborough Athletic
Liversedge v Whitley Bay
Brandon United v Chester-Le-Street Town
Shildon v Sunderland RCA
Pickering Town v South Shields
Ashington v Billingham Town
Tow Law Town v Jarrow Roofing Boldon CA
West Auckland Town v Whickham
West Allotment Celtic v Tadcaster Albion
Norton & Stockton Ancients v Penrith
Guisborough Town v Armthorpe Welfare
Bishop Auckland v Consett
Brighouse Town v Dunston UTS
Hebburn Town v Marske United
Whitehaven v Team Northumbria
Esh Winning v Northallerton Town
Pontefract Collieries v Selby Town
Silsden v Crook Town
Hall Road Rangers v Newcastle Benfield
Bridlington Town v Horden CW
Stokesley v Thackley
Leeds Carnegie v Billingham Synthonia
Spennymoor Town v Bedlington Terriers
Morpeth Town v AFC Emley
Seaham Red Star v North Shields
Irlam v Chadderton
Rossendale United v Formby
Ashton Athletic v Parkgate
Hallam v Atherton Collieries
Ramsbottom United v Winsford United
Leek CSOB v Bootle
New Mills v Alsager Town
Holker Old Boys v Abbey Hey
Daisy Hill v Congleton Town
Glossop North End v Wigan Robin Park
Runcorn Linnets v Maine Road
Nelson v Atherton LR - walkover for Atherton LR
Staveley MW v Padiham
Flixton v Bacup Borough
Nostell MW v St Helens Town
Colne v Ashton Town
Cheadle Town v Squires Gate
Hemsworth MW v AFC Liverpool
Willenhall Town v Bartley Green
Coalville Town v Stone Dominoes
Loughborough University v Stratford Town
Boldmere St Michaels v Westfields
Coventry Sphinx v Castle Vale
Pegasus Juniors v Heather St Johns
Causeway United v Ellesmere Rangers
Rocester v Pilkington XXX
Eccleshall v Southam United
Cradley Town v Malvern Town
Shifnal Town v Dudley Town
Kirby Muxloe v Walsall Wood
Alvechurch v Tipton Town
Bardon Hill Sports v Bewdley Town
Tividale v Oadby Town
Pelsall Villa v Dosthill Colts
Bridgnorth Town v Highgate United
Ledbury Town v Castle Vale JKS
AFC Wulfrunians v Heath Hayes
Brocton v Coleshill Town
Nuneaton Griff v Studley
Norton United v Hinckley
Biddulph Victoria v Wellington
Wednesfield v Bolehall Swifts
Gedling Town v Boston Town
Blackstones v Maltby Main
Heanor Town v Borrowash Victoria
Long Eaton United v Barton Town Old Boys
Holbeach United v Radcliffe Olympic
Wisbech Town v St Andrews
Rossington Main v Shirebrook Town
Greenwood Meadows v Winterton Rangers
Teversal v Bottesford Town
Barrow Town v Arnold Town
Dunkirk v Dinnington Town
Gedling MW v Holwell Sports
Holbrook Sports v Sleaford Town
Lincoln Moorlands Railway v Friar Lane & Epworth
Deeping Rangers v Gresley
Haverhill Rovers v Hadleigh United
Diss Town v Daventry United
Brantham Athletic v Woodbridge Town
St Neots Town v Dereham Town
Potton United v Stewarts & Lloyds Corby
Newmarket Town v Yaxley
Whitton United v Thetford Town
Northampton Spencer v Leiston
Wellingborough Town v Kirkley & Pakefield
Walsham Le Willows v Long Buckby
Team Bury v Ampthill Town
Ely City v Raunds Town
Wroxham v Rothwell Corinthians
Felixstowe & Walton United v Mildenhall Town
Great Yarmouth Town v Norwich United
March Town United v Gorleston
St Ives Town v Cogenhoe United
Rothwell Town v Desborough Town
Godmanchester Rovers v AFC Kempston Rovers
St Margaretsbury v Welwyn Garden City
Biggleswade United v Newport Pagnell Town
Saffron Walden Town v Mauritius Sports Association
Hadley v Barking
Kentish Town v Stansted
Chalfont St Peter v Stotfold
Clapton v Stanway Rovers
Burnham Ramblers v Hoddesdon Town
Oxhey Jets v Hatfield Town
Bethnal Green United v Basildon United
Bowers & Pitsea v Dunstable Town
Takeley v Hertford Town
Cockfosters v Hullbridge Sports
Kingsbury London Tigers v FC Clacton
Witham Town v Wembley
Colney Heath v Broxbourne Borough V&E
Langford v Aylesbury United
Tring Athletic v Enfield 1893
Leverstock Green v Harefield United
Haringey Borough v Hillingdon Borough
London APSA v Halstead Town
Hanwell Town v London Colney
Royston Town v Crawley Green
Eton Manor v Bedford
Barkingside v Southend Manor
Cobham v Wick
Hassocks v Eastbourne United
Farnham Town v Badshot Lea
Molesey v Hartley Wintney
Croydon v Crowborough Athletic
Chessington & Hook United v Raynes Park Vale
Alresford Town v Herne Bay
St Francis Rangers v Banstead Athletic
Sidley United v Lancing
Binfield v Crawley Down
Horley Town v Ash United
East Grinstead Town v Holyport
Camberley Town v Petersfield Town
Cove v Three Bridges
Alton Town v Chichester City
Erith Town v Colliers Wood United
Arundel v Hailsham Town
Greenwich Borough v South Park
Epsom & Ewell v Shoreham
Holmesdale v Erith & Belvedere
Mile Oak v Tunbridge Wells
Egham Town v Guildford City
Littlehampton Town v Beckenham Town
Hythe Town v Bookham
Selsey v Worthing United
Lordswood v Pagham
Norton Sports v Redhill
Flackwell Heath v Oakwood
Deal Town v Sandhurst Town
Frimley Green v Peacehaven & Telscombe
Lingfield v Sevenoaks Town
Dorking v Bracknell Town
Mole Valley SCR v Chertsey Town
VCD Athletic v AFC Ucklfield
East Preston v Ringmer
Brading Town v Romsey Town
Bradford Town v Wootton Bassett Town
Fairford Town v Lydney Town
Christchurch v Hamble ASSC
Ringwood Town v Cowes Sports
Thame United v Shrivenham
Hayling United v Blackfield & Langley
Lymington Town v Moneyfield
Highworth Town v Melksham Town
Bournemouth v Abingdon Town
Totton & Eling v Bemerton Heath Harlequins
Wantage Town v Shortwood United
Downton v Bitton
Hallen v Winchester City
Milton United v Witney United
Bristol Manor Farm v Ardley United
Calne Town v Corsham Town
Amesbury Town v Almondsbury UWE
Newport (IW) v Kidlington
New Milton Town v Longwell Green Sports
Bicester Town v Westbury United
Warminster Town v Reading Town
Fareham Town v Clanfield 85
Hook Norton v Laverstock & Ford
Brockenhurst v Old Woodstock Town
Larkhall Athletic v Gillingham Town
Bridport v Welton Rovers
Launceston v Bodmin Town
Willand Rovers v Merthyr Town
Sherborne Town v Portishead Town
Elmore v Hamworthy United
St Blazey v Torpoint Athletic
Odd Down v Verwood Town
Street v Barnstaple Town
Buckland Athletic v Radstock Town
Brislington v Wellington
Keynsham Town v Tavistock
Saltash United v Bishop Sutton
Poole Town v Dawlish Town
Ilfracombe Town v Falmouth Town