Its almost three months to the day that John Terry lifted the FA Cup at Wembley for the first time since Chelsea last lifted the Cup at Wembley in 2000.
This weekend sees the start of the FA Cup road to Wembley when the extra preliminary round ties are being played.
These are ties to find the teams that will enter the rounds of the qualifying competition before the first round proper which will take place sometime in November.
Why am I writing about the FA Cup? Well Chelsea are holders (which makes sense), the FA Cup is starting its 127th year of competition and the FA Cup is the TRUE domestic Cup competition of the World. The FA Cup is the FA Cup - the BEST club competition in the World that this season has attracted a record 731 clubs throughout England and Wales entering, to pave their way to the 'new'' Wembley Stadium waiting to host its 2nd FA Cup Final in May 2008.
Chelsea will not enter the competition until the FA Cup reaches the third round on Saturday 5th January 2008.
Cast your mind back a mere few days ago on this article. Well my mate is playing in the FA Cup on Saturday for VCD who will travel away to play against Whitehawk FC who compete in the Sussex County League. Whitehawk FC is based just outside Brighton on the South Coast and I term Brighton as 'London by the Sea.'
Because Chelsea are the current FA Cup holders and my mate is playing in the FA Cup albeit in the extra preliminary this weekend, he is still playing in the World's greatest domestic cup competition, I have decided to follow Whitehawk v VCD Athletic all the way to Wembley.
For the winners there is an away tie against the winners of Erith Town/Cobham on Saturday 1st September with the juicy 'bounty' of entering the 1st round qualifying of the FA Cup proper.
The prize for each winning club this weekend is £500.
KTBFFH
and COME ON VCD