There Are Many Roads to Wembley

And a number of them get underway in September, a positive sign perhaps of football making a slow return to something approaching normality although there remain plenty of indicators of a long road ahead on that score.

With so many competitions fighting for attention in a congested 2020/21 season it was perhaps inevitable that the FA Cup is once again diminished, with no replays at all and a 50% cut in prize money that will disproportionately affect the smaller teams.

But despite that, and a midweek start for the extra preliminary round at the beginning of September the cup still represents so much to so many and with restrictions slowly being lifted on supporters being allowed into grounds it will represent the first competitive action of the campaign for many players and fans alike.

As clubs get to grips with the increased regulations allowing spectators back in it does mean that just turning up and passing your cash through the turnstile may not be possible just yet so please check if you are planning to go to a game.

20 clubs will be taking part for the first ever time, including Hashtag United as they complete the journey from YouTube to FA Cup and former FA Sunday Cup winners New Salamis FC (tickets for their home tie against Colney Heath FC are available, priced £7).

Sunday 6th September sees the extra preliminary round of the Women's FA Cup, the anomaly here being that the 2019/20 competition is still to be played to a conclusion.

Take a peek at the social media accounts of some of the 174 clubs involved at this early stage and again you can see how much it means to be taking part.

There's a mammoth weekend of FA Vase fixtures taking place over the weekend of 19/20 September as 442 clubs enter the competition at the first qualifying round phase, including the newly-formed Bury AFC whose supporters will hopefully be able to enjoy the very pleasant experience that is an afternoon at West Didsbury & Chorlton, while the FA Trophy begins a week later.