Seaford City will set a brand new FA Cup document for the longest time frame between showing within the competitors.
The Sussex non-league workforce haven’t featured in soccer’s oldest competitors for over a century, with their final look coming within the 1911-12 season.
2
However their 104-year hiatus will lastly come to an finish on Saturday, once they tackle Sutton Athletic within the additional preliminary spherical.
The seaside membership, who play within the Southern Mixture Premier Division – ninth-tier of English soccer – will welcome their Kent opponents to their house floor, The Crouch.
Information of the historic feat has unfold on social media, with TNT Sports activities alerting followers to this on X.
Their official account wrote: “Seaford City FC will set a brand new FA Cup document in the present day for the longest time between showing within the competitors (104 campaigns).
“The seaside membership hasn’t featured because the 1911-12 season and is run purely by volunteers.”
Seaford will probably be concentrating on a greater consequence than of their earlier FA Cup marketing campaign, as they suffered a 3-0 house defeat to Vernon Athletic within the preliminary spherical over 100 years in the past.
The seasiders’ outstanding feat sees them surpass fellow non league facet Beverley City within the historical past books, who beforehand spent the longest time away from the competitors.
Final season, the Yorkshire outfit ended their 99-year FA Cup absence, having final featured in October 1919.
Sadly for Beverley, issues did not fairly go in keeping with plan, as they had been crushed 3-2 by Whitley Bay.
Seaford will probably be hoping their long-awaited return to the large time brings extra pleasure, with plans in place to mark the historic event.
Forward of their conflict, the membership introduced on social media {that a} particular match day programme will probably be out there for followers to purchase.
They’re briefly provide although, with solely 100 copies being produced for supporters to get their arms on.
The piece of memorabilia may also mark one other of Seaford’s latest achievements, with a commemorative poster marking their league title success final season additionally on provide.
In April, the East Sussex facet celebrated promotion from the Southern Mixture Division One after ending high of the league.
The membership wrote on X: “We’ve a really particular match day programme on provide tomorrow for £2!!!
“This programme will enable to personal a bit of our historical past as we rejoice not solely our first FA Cup look since 1911, however will get you a commemorative poster exhibiting final yr’s league winners!!
2
“Solely 100 out there so ensure you’re down early at The Crouch tomorrow to get your arms on this distinctive piece of our membership!!”
In accordance with Soccer Grounds Map, Seaford’s house floor has a capability of 1,000, with official figures from the league reporting a mean crowd of 110 final season.
However this determine will certainly be exceeded within the FA Cup, because the non league outfit put together for an enormous day of their historical past.
Ought to Seaford get pleasure from a fairy-tale consequence on their cup return, they’ll nonetheless be 5 video games away from reaching the first-round correct.
In complete, 124 groups will participate in the primary draw of the FA Cup, with 655 groups throughout the fifth to ninth tiers of English soccer competing throughout six rounds for 32 spots within the first spherical.