The next Berkshire side at Wembley will be..

FA Trophy and Vase kick-off PLUS new food review and bumper Bank Holiday weekend of fixtures

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In this weeks newsletter:

• 🏟️ Who will be the next Berkshire representative at Wembley?

• ⚽ Match(s) of the weekend - double recommendations for the BHW

• 🍟 New food review AND all the headlines from around Berkshire

The long road to Wembley begins this weekend for many of our Berkshire clubs in the FA Vase. Our county has a proud tradition in the competition with both Thatcham Town and Ascot United winning the trophy and Binfield getting to the final. Despite these achievements, it has to be underlined just how hard it is to get to Wembley. We saw a dominant Farnham Town in the Combined Counties League last season, however, they couldn't translate that into Vase glory and were knocked out in the last 32.

It raises the question of which Berkshire club will be next to play at Wembley Stadium? Thatcham, Ascot and Binfield all now play at Step 4 so are in the FA Trophy. It's sadly unlikely that a Step 4 side could get to Wembley as t, so where could our Berkshire heroes come from?

In the FA Trophy it's Maidenhead United that seem to be best placed as a Step 1 National League club, however will the rigours of league football (and very much concentrating on league survival) mean that the Trophy takes a back seat. In National League South we have Slough Town who we know are no strangers to cup exploits after their FA Cup run of last season. Again, they may well be focused on promotion rather than cup glory, but no side in the competition will fancy a trip to fortress Arbour Park considering the Rebels' record there.

The FA Vase is much harder to predict. It ordinarily requries a club to be riding high in Step 5 to compete in the latter stages. It also requires a great deal of resilience as clubs undergo long trips to far-flung places in England during the winter months in order to progress in the competition.

Perhaps one of our Step 5 clubs could go deep this year? Burnham, Tadley Calleva, Virginia Water or Reading City in the Combined Counties or a surprise run from Windsor & Eton. One thing's for sure, it's not easy!

Steve Gabb

Match of the Weekend

As it’s a Bank Holiday Weekend, we’ve picked out two games to keep an eye on.

Friday 23rd August / 8pm / Bottom Meadow

Sandhurst Town vs Nailsea & Tickenham

An FA Vase First Qualifying Round match. Nailsea have already faced Berkshire competition in the FA Cup this season in Reading City and won that one on a replay. Expect a tough tie for Adam Barnard’s Fizzers.

Monday 26th August / 11:30am / Stag Meadow

Windsor & Eton vs Windsor

A first-ever Windsor derby at Stag Meadow with both sides starting the season well. The early kick off means there’s ample time to get a second game in as well later in the day!

Food Review: Thatcham Town

The Wandering Tractor has been over to West Berkshire for his latest review.

ICYMI: This weeks football headlines

Three points and a cup for Wokingham Town (Wokingham Today)

Travis Lewis scores twice as Windsor FC maintain impressive start to season (Maidenhead Advertiser)

Why Reading City never play home games at the end of August (Football in Berkshire)

Tadley Calleva back in action as Alex Fragata returns (Newbury Weekley News)

Boss Matt Angell on Windsor & Eton's 'testing but pleasing' start to the season (Maidenhead Advertiser)

Romeo happy to experiment with young Thatcham Town squad (Newbury Weekley News)

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