Wednesday, 23 October 2019

Men’s 1st Round Proper – Meet Ebbsfleet United F.C.


Bury – Having mentioned Bury FC in our last blog post it was interesting to note that their absence from this season’s FA Cup draw meant that one team would get a bye through to the 2nd Round Proper.  This team was Chichester, who just so happen to be the lowest ranked team left in the competition (they play in the 8th Tier of the football system).

It’s also interesting to note that it is the Women’s 3rd Qualifying Round this coming Sunday 27th October and not one of these fixtures are mentioned on the BBC’s Sports page when you look at the fixture lists for Sunday! 

I thought the BBC was meant to be promoting the women’s game and it is oversights like this that send the wrong message.  I’m also wondering if the Women’s 1st Round Proper Draw will be live on the BCC, as I don’t think it will.

Enough whinging and let’s get onto the men…

I’d like to welcome Ebbsfleet United to our blog


On the weekend of Saturday 9th November, we have picked up Ebbsfleet United V Notts County FC.

Ebbsfleet United Football Club are based in Northfleet, Kent. The River Ebbsfleet is an inlet into the River Thames and this was once a place for industrial growth ranging from paper to cable works.  In the 1800s the residents of London were regular Steam Boat visitors to attractions such as the Rosherville Gardens and nearby Gravesend that had rail links to the capital.

Speaking of rail links, Ebbsfleet is now known for its highspeed Eurostar link through the Ebbsfleet valley and into the Ebbsfleet International Railway Station – making the connection between Ebbsfleet and London St Pancras only 17 minutes.

Ebbsfleet United have existed since 1946 but until 2007 they were known as Gravesend & Northfleet.  The team's home ground has been at Stonebridge Road since its original inception. Their most famous player was ex-England Manager Roy Hodgson, who played for them between 1969 and 1971. Their best FA Cup run came in 1963 when they reached the 4th Round Proper.

The team now competes in the National League, the fifth tier of English football and they are bottom of the League with 10pts from 17 games.  It took a replay, in the previous round, on Tuesday 22nd October to beat Woking away from home 0-1.

Ebbsfleet and Notts County are familiar foes as they play in the same Division (Notts are 5th with 27 points from 17 games) and this will be the third time that they have played each other in the FA Cup – Ebbsfleet lost 2-1 in both 2000 and 2003. 

The last time they met was at Ebbsfleet in the League this season and it was a 2-2 draw.

All to play for and an intriguing tie that the GKA is looking forward to.    

It is a 147-mile trip for Notts County from our last game to…


Kuflink Stadium.



Next up for the GKA

This Sunday 27th October 14:00…

Women’s 3rd Qualifying Round - Stockport County LFC V Brighouse Town Women AFC

And then the draw for the Women’s First Round Proper – games expected on Sunday 10th November at 14:00.



No comments:

Post a Comment