Thursday 17 October 2013

4th Qualifying Round Workington AFC V Stourbridge FC

I want to welcome Workington AFC to our Giant Killing Adventure and thank them for mentioning our blog on their Website (this is our 4th website promise after Marine, Curzon and Stourbridge). 

It is the 4th Qualifying Round of the FA Cup 2013/14, and in this round teams from the Conference Premier have been entered.  We have teams that are at least 4 divisions lower than the Premiership big boys and the ties are still regional (North and South).   Our winner Stourbridge FC from the 3rd Qualifying Round has drawn an away tie against Workington AFC.  64 teams will fight it out during this round.   



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At the mouth of the River Derwent in Cumbria is the market and industrial town of Workington. It became a major industrial port due to the manufacture of coal, iron and steel and Henry Bessemer first used his revolutionary steel making process here – steel making finally ended in Workington in 2006.

Workington is a market town with up to 50 stalls held every Saturday and Wednesday.  It has a historic hall, the Helena Thompson Museum and a marina for yachts and sailing dingys.   

Workington AFC were originally founded in 1888 and played at Lonsdale Park. In 1905 the club folded but in 1921 the team reformed. During the 1933/34 season, the club managed its best-ever FA Cup performance, reaching the 4th Round Proper, before losing to Preston North End. Later in the decade, the club moved to its present home, Borough Park.

From 6 January 1954 to 15 November 1955 the club was managed by Bill Shankly, who would achieve fame between 1959 and 1974 with his success at home and abroad as manager of Liverpool FC.


During the 1957/58 season Workington were beaten by the Manchester United team known as the Busby Babes at home in the 3rd Round Proper of the FA Cup, attracting a record crowd of 21,000. This was just a month before eight of the United players lost their lives in the Munich air disaster.

Workington AFC currently play in the Skrill Football Conference – Northern League. At the moment they are in bottom place, with 7 pts from 10 games.  The Conference North is one league higher than Stourbridge’s in the football league tier system.  Stourbridge play in the Calor League - Premier Division and this is still our blog’s first Southern Football League team.  Stourbridge are currently in 5th position with 21 points from 11 games.  They have won their last 6 games in a row which makes them a team in current top form.

The Stourbridge fans have so far been the most friendly and welcoming to our Giant Killing Adventure.   Don’t forget our facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/thegiantkillingadventure
As you can see from the map, we are travelling upwards 221 Miles from War Memorial Athletic Ground (home to Stourbridge FC) to Borough Park.  Our FA Cup journey has travelled 562 miles in six rounds from its current home in Wigan to Workington, via Ashton, Curzon, Crosby, Curzon, Lancaster and Stourbridge.  





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