30years of (FA Cup) hurt

I suppose our favourite FA Cup matches partly reflects on our ages. I see that no one mentioned the Crystal Palace game at our previous ground, Lambridge. Of course that site has since become contaminated.

Dave wrote:

in terms of reaching the 'Proper' rounds from a similar stage to where we start now, the record isn't that different to now.
The past 25 seasons 98-99 to 23-24, we've reached the First Round or beyond from early Qualifying Rounds three times (Forest Green, Peterborough, Hendon).
The previous 25 seasons we'd managed it four times (Wimbledon, Plymouth, Peterborough, Northampton).
Seven times in the past 50 years, and five times in the preceding 50 years.  

The problem with going back too far is that the FA Cup rounds have changed. I believe what we call round three used to be round one, but I can't be sure.

Another p poor performance.
Has the squad size come to bite us....like we knew it would.

Was it p poor or did we just get done by a better team on the day

Digger wrote:Another p poor performance.
Has the squad size come to bite us....like we knew it would.

Morgan awaiting birth Batten not fit to replace the injured Dyer.

Digger wrote:Another p poor performance.
Has the squad size come to bite us....like we knew it would.

Another poor performance??

BenE wrote:Was it p poor or did we just get done by a better team on the day

Both. A much smaller margin of defeat but today for me had similarities with the Wealdstone debacle. We went into both games on the back of excellent runs and failed to turn up on the day.

In his post match interview the manager rightly praised Worthing for the manner of their win. I’ll probably be shot down in flames for saying it, but with the exception of Weston on that night, Worthing look like the only team we’ve faced so far who should make at least the playoffs.

It certainly sounded like one way traffic on bcir. I was struck by how many times our players were dispossessed. But I thought it was strange to put Clark at full back. He hasn't looked great defensively all season.

It was a very surprising move, as was the substituting of Russe.

Post 2nd World War we've reached the 4th QR 48 times and won 22 times and lost 26. We've lost 9 of our last 11. Before the formation of the Conference we entered the cup at the 4th QR stage if we had reached the 1st round proper the previous season. Otherwise we entered at the 1st QR stage. Strangely in the 1978/79 season, which was the season after we won the Southern League and reached the 1st round proper, we entered the cup at the preliminary round stage.

As we watched our attempts to claw back the two goal deficit on Saturday another very long term fan posed the question "do we have the worst record in our league for reaching the first round in recent years?"

I thought I'd wait until it was confirmed how many clubs had made it this year before doing some research - last night's disastrous replays meant that the only winners, Slough, joined Maidstone, Yeovil and Worthing.

We have played at this level for 12 seasons since our relegation from the Conference and of course have failed to reach the first round each time. Of the clubs we have played league fixtures against since 2012/13 38 have managed it...
 
once - 22 clubs
twice - 11 clubs (including Chippenham and WsM),
3 times - Chelmsford, Maidstone, Havant and St Albans  
5 times - Oxford

In those 12 seasons the first round has featured 62 teams from our division, an average of 5.

Of course most of our fellow clubs have not been ever present like ourselves - Yeovil have a 100% success rate but that is based on just one season. There may be others who have spent the majority of the period alongside ourselves but someone else can research who and their success rate.

However there are three clubs we can compare ourselves with as they have been ever present bed fellows - here's their record of reaching the first round...

Chelmsford and Havant - 3 times
Eastbourne - 2 times

So I think whichever way you look at it, the answer to my friend's question is sadly yes, we do appear to have the worst record.

comrade powell wrote:As we watched our attempts to claw back the two goal deficit on Saturday another very long term fan posed the question "do we have the worst record in our league for reaching the first round in recent years?"

I thought I'd wait until it was confirmed how many clubs had made it this year before doing some research - last night's disastrous replays meant that the only winners, Slough, joined Maidstone, Yeovil and Worthing.

We have played at this level for 12 seasons since our relegation from the Conference and of course have failed to reach the first round each time. Of the clubs we have played league fixtures against since 2012/13 38 have managed it...
 
once - 22 clubs
twice - 11 clubs (including Chippenham and WsM),
3 times - Chelmsford, Maidstone, Havant and St Albans  
5 times - Oxford

In those 12 seasons the first round has featured 62 teams from our division, an average of 5.

Of course most of our fellow clubs have not been ever present like ourselves - Yeovil have a 100% success rate but that is based on just one season. There may be others who have spent the majority of the period alongside ourselves but someone else can research who and their success rate.

However there are three clubs we can compare ourselves with as they have been ever present bed fellows - here's their record of reaching the first round...

Chelmsford and Havant - 3 times
Eastbourne - 2 times

So I think whichever way you look at it, the answer to my friend's question is sadly yes, we do appear to have the worst record.

I looked at this a couple of years ago when Dorking and Hungerford had similar records to ours. In fact Dorking Wanderers have never made the 1st Round proper.