The FA have revealed the ball numbers for the upcoming FA Cup first round draw in which clubs from League One and Two will enter the competition.
The final qualifying round takes place this weekend when a host of non league clubs will dream of a giant killing and a potential money-spinning tie. Minnows such as Biggleswade, Chertsey Town, Leiston and Plymouth Parkway amongst others all stand a chance of joining juggernauts such as Birmingham City and Wrexham in the hat.
Although controversial changes have been made to the competition in recent years, the FA Cup is still one of the most prestigious in world football. The scrapping of replays from the first round proper hit the headlines earlier this year, but there is no doubting the financial pull that can be said for a good cup run.
Last season, Maidstone United pulled off a huge shock by beating eventual Championship promotion winners Ipswich Town to reach the fifth round, where they exited at the hands of Coventry City. It was a run which earned them around £700,000 before tax.
It’s a competition built on fairytales. Maidstone aside, the most recent example of a club which proves a good run can alter the trajectory of their future is Lincoln City. The Imps made history by becoming the first non-league side to reach the quarter final in over a century in 2017, the same year they ended their six-year stay in the National League. Since then, they have become a stable League One club and harbour ambitions of reaching the Championship.
Despite the absence of teams from the top four divisions, the final qualifying round has thrown up some excellent ties to keep an eye on. Notably, there is a Lincolnshire derby between Gainsborough Trinity and Boston United, whilst Bury will attempt to reach the first round for the first time since they were expelled from the league in 2019 when they take on Harborough Town.
Earlier today, the FA released the ball numbers for the upcoming draw, which will take place at the University of Bradford Stadium on Monday.
FA Cup First Round Ball Numbers
1. Accrington Stanley
2. AFC Wimbledon
3. Barnsley
4. Barrow
5. Birmingham City
6. Blackpool
7. Bolton Wanderers
8. Bradford City
9. Bristol Rovers
10. Bromley
11. Burton Albion
12. Cambridge United
13. Carlisle United
14. Charlton Athletic
15. Cheltenham Town
16. Chesterfield
17. Colchester United
18. Crawley Town
19. Crewe Alexandra
20. Doncaster Rovers
21. Exeter City
22. Fleetwood Town
23. Gillingham
24. Grimsby Town
25. Harrogate Town
26. Huddersfield Town
27. Leyton Orient
28. Lincoln City
29. Mansfield Town
30. Milton Keynes Dons
31. Morecambe
32. Newport County
33. Northampton Town
34. Notts County
35. Peterborough United
36. Port Vale
37. Reading
38. Rotherham United
39. Salford City
40. Shrewsbury Town
41. Stevenage
42. Stockport County
43. Swindon Town
44. Tranmere Rovers
45. Walsall
46. Wigan Athletic
47. Wrexham
48. Wycombe Wanderers
49. Rushall Olympic or Peterborough Sports
50. Tamworth or Macclesfield
51. Oldham Athletic or FC Halifax Town
52. Hartlepool United or Brackley Town
53. Farsley Celtic or Kettering Town
54. Altrincham or Solihull Moors
55. AFC Fylde or Rochdale
56. Scarborough Athletic or Chester
57. Biggleswade or York City
58. Harborough Town or Bury
59. Curzon Ashton or King’s Lynn Town
60. Gainsborough Trinity or Boston United
61. Hednesford Town or Gateshead
62. Alfreton Town or Spennymoor Town
63. Kidderminster Harriers or Guiseley
64. Taunton Town or Maidenhead United
65. Horsham or Gorleston
66. Aldershot Town or Bath City
67. Eastleigh or Southend United
68. Chertsey Town or Sutton United
69. Boreham Wood or Carshalton Athletic
70. Lowestoft Town or Weston Super Mare
71. Wealdstone or Gosport Borough
72. Leiston or Dagenham & Redbridge
73. Barnet or Chelmsford City
74. Chesham United or Yeovil Town
75. Cray Wanderers or Tonbridge Angels
76. Woking or Slough Town
77. Forest Green Rovers or Weymouth
78. Maidstone United or Ebbsfleet United
79. Plymouth Parkway or Worthing
80. Braintree Town or Bishop’s Stortford
Head of Writing