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Since the beginning of August there has been a 'fun' game to select a 'team to follow' in this year's FA Cup which begins tonight with the Extra Premliminary Round.
Due to an overwhelming number of votes (precisely NIL) it was down to the editor (ie me) to decide the match number and therefore the team to follow, all the way to Wembley to the FA Cup Final next May, 2010.
For your information and to prove there were no underhand tactics or 'backhanders' involved, the number chosen was 69 (my favourite number) which related to the match between Bardon Hill Sports and Arnold Town.
As Bardon Hill Sports is the Home team, they are the FA Cup team to follow until they get knocked out of the competition then their victors become the team to follow and so on and so, until the two finalists are known at Wembley. FOLLOW ME on Twitter.
On Friday August 14th, the FA Cup, the greatest domestic Cup competition in the world, kicks off with over 400 teams taking part in the extra premliminary round dreaming that come May 2010 they might be one of the teams walking out at 'the home of football.'
For a bit of fun, I want to do a 'Road to Wembley' feature where I am inviting you (via the comments section) to pick a number between 1 - 203.
The number with the highest amount of votes will represent the HOME team who will be the first team picked for this fun adventure.
Once the selected team gets knocked out of the competition, I will follow the new team until that team gets eliminated and so forth and so forth, until the OUR team hopefully picks up the FA Cup in May 2010.
So you have until 12 midday Friday 14th August (UK Time) to vote for any number between 1 - 203. If you want to study a list of teams taking part - click here
If there are no votes cast or there is a tie, the editor's decision is final.
Just over 58,000 fans made it to Wembley (despite the tube strike) this evening (Wednesday) to see England beat Andorra 6-0. To be honest it should have been 12 or more, but the crowd went home happy with SIX and I wonder how many punters got the correct score.
For the record Wayne Rooney scored 2, Jermaine Defoe scored 2, Frank Lampard and Peter Crouch scored the others.
Next week England U21s start their campaign to become European U21 Champions in Sweden.
Still there is no news on the tube strike due to start 7pm Tuesday night, perhaps Wembley will be 'murdered' if the tube strike goes ahead let alone Andorra.
But what do you know about Andorra? Back in September England travelled to Andorra and won 2-0 thanks to two Joe Cole goals.
Andorra is bordered to the right by France and to the left by Spain and Andorra is predominately by occupied Spanish speaking residents. Approximately a quarter of the population (70,000) is made up of Andorrans.
To say Hello in Andorra, say 'HOLA,' but as Andorra will be in London this week, say HELLO.
But what does Andorra have to offer the intrepid traveller? Duty free, Skiing, The Pyrenees and Andorra for those with a load of £ or $ is a taxman's nightmare - A tax haven.
To quote The Lonely Planet:
"The town of Andorra la Vella is squeezed into the Riu Gran Valira Valley and is mainly engaged in retailing electronic and luxury goods. With the constant din of jackhammers and shopping-mall architecture, you might be in Hong Kong - but for the snowcapped peaks and an absence of noodle shops?"
England are in action twice over the next five days, trying to qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Tomorrow (Saturday) England play Kazakhstan and next Wednesday England host minnows Andorra at Wembley.
If the proposed tube strike goes ahead next week, how will people get to Wembley?
Wembley could be deserted as the Marie Celeste.
Twenty years ago, Burnley Football Club almost went out of the Football League and out of business.
Yesterday at Wembley they acheived a remarkable turnaround and won a massive £60m pay cheque, beating Sheff Utd 1-0 and winning promotion to the Premiership.
Simeon Jackson's last minute header promoted Gillingham into League One against Shrewsbury Town at Wembley this afternoon in the League Two play-off final.
Gillingham's goal came from a corner that never was and TV pictures proved the ball hit a Gillingham player before it crossed over the line.
Tomorrow, Millwall take on Scunthorpe in the League One play-off final - plus there is SURVIVAL SUNDAY..... Newcastle Utd, Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Hull City are all battling to avoid the drop to the Championship.
Apart from the fact that this weekend is a three-day weekend, the main highlight if you are a neutral football fan, is the play-offs being hosted at Wembley Stadium.
On Saturday, Shrewsbury Town and Gillingham battle it out for promotion to League One. The game kicks off at 3pm.
On Sunday, Millwall take on Scunthorpe United for the right to play Championship football next season. The game kicks off at 1pm.
On Monday, Burnley and Sheff Utd play for £60m - that's how much promotion to the Premiership is expected to be worth. The game kicks off at 3pm.
After a two year absence, Torquay United returned to the Football League after beating Cambridge United 2-0 this afternoon at Wembley, in the Blue Square Conference Play-Off Final.
The game was watched by a crowd of over 35,000.
After a thrilling penalty shoot-out, Scunthorpe Utd won the League One Play-off Semi-Final at Stadium MK, beating MK Dons 7-6.
The game finished 0-0 after extra-time (1-1 on agg)
Scunthorpe will play Millwall at Wembley on Sunday 24th May.
.... We Don't Care.
Millwall travelled to Elland Road last night and got a 1-1 draw (2-1 on agg) in the 2nd Leg of the League One play-off semi-final.
Expect 40,000 Lions to roar their way up Wembley way where they will face either MK Dons or Scunthorpe who play their 2nd leg tonight.
.... For a mate of mine whose beloved Clarets beat Reading last night 2-0 (3-0 on agg) in the 2nd Championship Play-off Semi-Final 2nd leg at The Madjeski Stadium.
On Monday 25th May he will be at Wembley to see Burnley take on Sheff Utd for the £30m Premiership jackpot.
Five days later I will be at Wembley for the FA Cup Final.
The League Two Play-Off Final is set as Shrewsbury Town and Gillingham got themselves to Wembley.
Shrewsbury beat Bury 4-3 on penalties after the game ended 1-1 on aggregate after extra-time.
Gillingham beat Rochdale 2-1 at The Priestfield Stadium. Simeon Jackson scored both Gillingham's goals.
The final at Wembley will be played on Saturday 23rd May.
.... Wembley's pitch was atrocious at the weekend, just imagine what the pitch will be like in SIX months time when the following events have been staged:
9th May: FA Carlsberg Trophy Final
10th May: FA Carlsberg Vase Final
17th May: Blue Square Premier Conference Play-Off Final
23rd May: Coca-Cola League Two Play-Off Final
24th May: Coca-Cola League One Play-Off Final
25th May: Coca-Cola Championship Play-Off Final
30th May: FA Cup Final
10th June: England v Andorra
13th June: U18 International
26th June: AC/DC Concert
1st, 3rd, 4th & 5th July: Take That Concert
9th, 11th & 12th July: Oasis Concert
9th Aug: FA Community Shield
14th & 15th Aug: U2 Concert
29th Aug: Rugby League Carnegie Challenge Cup Final
5th Sept: England v Slovenia
9th Sept: England v Croatia
18th & 19th Sept: Coldplay and Girls Aloud Concert
14th Oct: England v Belarus
25th Oct: NFL - Tampa Bay Buccaneers v New England Patriots
The pitch at Wembley today was a disgrace. Both sets of players were slipping and sliding all over the place and the pitch cut up very very easily.
Chelsea won 2-1.
Who will they play in SIX weeks time. ManUre and Everton play tomorrow (Sunday) in the 2nd Semi-Final
Both games are being played at Wembley.First up is Chelsea v Arsenal on Saturday then on Sunday its ManUre v Everton.For me the FA Cup Final is a Wembley occasion, not an occasion for the semi-finals. Just goes to show how much the FA need the money to pay for Wembley Stadium.
Burnley were three minutes away from glory and Wembley against Tottenham tonight at Turf Moor.Burnley were leading on the night 3-0, then in the space of a couple of minutes Tottenham scored twice to return to Wembley to play Man Utd on Sunday 1st March as holders of the Carling Cup.Burnley won the game 3-2, but Tottenham won 6-4 on aggregate.
I am off to Florida in the morning (UK time) so don't expect too much action over the coming week.With laptop in me case...... you will never know when I will pop up if at all.So have a great week, its FA Cup weekend when all the BIG clubs join in to The Road to Wembley.Will your team make it?
Chelsea captain John Terry has been given the chance by new England coach Fabio Capello, to captain England in Wednesday night's friendly against the U.S.A at Wembley.The game kicks-off 8pm (BST).
