FA Inter-League Cup - 2023/24

[Rhodes]

I see that the FA Inter-League Cup is making a return this season following a 'sabbatical' however, strangely, it is now open to Step 5 and Step 6 Leagues of the FA National League System and Regional Feeder Leagues sanctioned by the Association or an affiliated Association. I wonder how that is going to work then, the First Round draw has yet to be made but watch this space for details:

https://www.thefa.com/news/2023/jun/29/the-fa-inter-league-cup-2023-24-season-applications

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FA_Inter-League_Cup

[Rhodes]

This is interesting criteria isn't it, so in other words all grounds need to have floodlights:

MINIMUM GROUND STANDARDS All matches in the Competition must be played on a ground which fully conforms to a Grade 7 of The FA National Ground Grading (appropriate to entry to Step 6 of The FA National League System) or higher.

[Rhodes]

The draw for the First Round of the competition has been made, the Hertfordshire Senior County League have a First Round bye and will entertain the Southern Amateur League in the Second Round:

https://www.thefa.com/news/2023/jun/29/the-fa-inter-league-cup-2023-24-season-details-draws

[Rhodes]

The full draw for the Second Round of the competition which sees the Hertfordshire Senior County League entertain the Southern Amateur League, date to be arranged with the venue almost certainly the County Ground in Letchworth Garden City:

FA Inter-League Cup Second Round draw
1 Isle of Man FA Premier League v Cheshire Football League
2 Liverpool Premier League v West Cheshire Amateur Football League or Manchester Football League
3 York Football League v West Yorkshire Association Football League
4 Humber Premier League v Yorkshire Amateur League
5 Essex Olympian Football League v Essex & Suffolk Border Football League
6 Hertfordshire Senior County League v Southern Amateur League
7 Amateur Football Combination v The Arthurian League
8 Thames Valley Premier League v Dorset Premier Football League

https://www.thefa.com/news/2023/jun/29/the-fa-inter-league-cup-2023-24-season-details-draws

[Rhodes]

An interesting link detailing the First and Second Round ties this season, details of past tournaments between 2003/04 and 2017/18 and overall statistics including that of the SSML who have appeared six times overall, playing ten ties, winning four and losing six. Who can forget an unexpected Semi  Final appearance in 2015/16, beating the Bedfordshire County League, the Anglian Combination and the Essex & Suffolk Border League before narrowly losing to eventual winners the West Yorkshire Association League: 

https://www.southernamateurleague.co.uk/fa-inter-league-cup.html

[Rhodes]

Apologies, a correction to the only First Round tie that took place last month, it was the Liverpool Premier League v the Manchester League with the winners (the Manchester League) hosting the West Cheshire Amateur League in the Second Round:

FA Inter-League Cup First Round (Wednesday 29 November, at MSB Woolton FC)

Liverpool Premier League 1 Manchester League 2

First Round Byes: Amateur Football Combination, Cheshire League, Dorset Premier League, Essex & Suffolk Border League, Essex Olympian League, Herts Senior County League, Humber Premier League, Isle of Man FA Premier League, Southern Amateur League, Thames Valley Premier League, the Arthurian League, West Cheshire Amateur Football League, West Yorkshire Association League, York League, Yorkshire Amateur League.

[Rhodes]

On 12/11/2023 at 21:29, Rhodes said:

The full draw for the Second Round of the competition which sees the Hertfordshire Senior County League entertain the Southern Amateur League, date to be arranged with the venue almost certainly the County Ground in Letchworth Garden City:

FA Inter-League Cup Second Round draw
6 Hertfordshire Senior County League v Southern Amateur League

Yes, the Second Round tie between the Hertfordshire Senior County League and the Southern Amateur League will be played at the palatial County Ground in Letchworth Garden City on Saturday 13 January:

https://www.southernamateurleague.co.uk/fa-inter-league-cup.html

[Rhodes]

A nail biting FA Inter-League Cup Second Round win for the Hertfordshire Senior County League on Saturday, beating the Southern Amateur League 4-2 on penalties at the County Ground in Letchworth following a pulsating 2-2 draw. They will now travel to the Essex Olympian League or the Essex & Suffolk Border League in the Quarter Finals of the competition who meet at Harlow Town FC on Saturday (20 January):

https://www.southernamateurleague.co.uk/fa-inter-league-cup.html

Edited January 17 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

The Essex Olympian League beat the Essex & Suffolk Border League 3-2 at Harlow Town last Saturday (20 January), having trailed 2-0 at the interval, so the Hertfordshire Senior County League will travel to, presumably, Harlow Town in the Quarter Finals of the competition, date still to be confirmed but it is thought to be on Saturday 24 February.

[Rhodes]

A lot of recent activity in the competition, both on and off the pitch and despite the weather with the Hertfordshire Senior County League beating the Essex & Suffolk Border League 2-0 in their Quarter Final tie on Saturday 17 February at Rothamsted Park, see an excellent match report. The Essex & Suffolk Border League replaced the Essex Olympian League in the Quarter Finals due to the Essex Olympian League playing two wrongly registered players in the previous round. The Hertfordshire Senior County League will join the Manchester League, the West Yorkshire League and the Arthurian League in the Semi Finals and were drawn away to the Arthurian League in a tie to be played at Silver Jubilee Park on Saturday (16 March), kick off unusually at 6.45pm: 

Essex & Suffolk Border Football League FA INTER-LEAGUE CUP - RESULT: HERTS SENIOR FOOTBALL LEAGUE (2) ESBFL (0) (H-T 1-0) - Essex & Suffolk Border Football League (esblfootball.com)

[Rhodes]

Many congratulations to the Hertfordshire Senior County League on beating the Arthurian League on Saturday evening at Silver Jubilee Park to reach the Final of the prestigious FA Inter-League Cup. They will know their opponents next week with the Manchester League hosting the West Yorkshire League on Saturday (23 March) at Mossley AFC. I wonder whether Agamemnon3 hung around for the game after attending the Edgware & Kingsbury v Wokingham & Emmbrook fixture beforehand:

Edited March 18 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

Over 170 photographs from the Hertfordshire Senior County League's 2-0 win over the Arthurian League at Silver Jubilee Park last Saturday evening, courtesy of photographer Andy Nunn:

Edited March 19 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

On 18/03/2024 at 10:49, Rhodes said:

They will know their opponents next week with the Manchester League hosting the West Yorkshire League on Saturday (23 March) at Mossley AFC.

I don't expect that the Hertfordshire Senior County League have a preference who they will meet in the Final of the FA Inter-League Cup:

[Rhodes]

The Hertfordshire Senior County League will lock horns with the West Yorkshire League in the Final of the FA Inter-League Cup, the West Yorkshire League defeated the Manchester League on Saturday at Mossley AFC 4-1. Watch this space for details of the Final, both date and venue.

[agamemnon3]

A belated comment on this one.

I did indeed stay to watch the Arthurian v Herts encounter, the only one from the afternoon's game to do so, and what I saw was a far better game than the one I'd watched earlier.

The Arthurians can count themselves unlucky, as they were technically the better side and should really have won, but simply couldn't finish.  Belstone's Kaci Henry showed them how to do it, and shots on target in the 73rd and 82nd minutes put Herts into the Final.

Earlier Edgware & Kingsbury laboured to a goalless draw with Wokingham & Emmbrook, with neither side having a single shot on target in the whole ninety minutes.  With both of these sides deservedly in the bottom four of the CCL North, one shouldn't perhaps expect too much from them, but this was dismal stuff.

On a brighter note, the esteemed GRS67, formerly of this parish, was in attendance, looking remarkably chipper following his recent ordeal.  Well done, that man. 

[Rhodes]

On 25/03/2024 at 12:14, Rhodes said:

The Hertfordshire Senior County League will lock horns with the West Yorkshire League in the Final of the FA Inter-League Cup, the West Yorkshire League defeated the Manchester League on Saturday at Mossley AFC 4-1. Watch this space for details of the Final, both date and venue.

Here we go folks, the Final of the FA Inter-League Cup between the Herts Senior County League and the West Yorkshire Association League will take place on Sunday 5 May at, interestingly, Lincoln City's Sincil Bank stadium:

Lincoln City to host FA Inter League Cup Final - The Non-League Football Paper (thenonleaguefootballpaper.com)

The FA Inter League Cup 2023-24 Final venue confirmed

Edited April 12 by Rhodes

[agamemnon3]

Sadly, I have just received a phone call informing me that the FA have removed the Herts Senior League from the competition.  Details are still hazy, but it has been suggested that the HSL fielded one or more ineligible players in their game against the Arthurian League some weeks ago.

The Arthurian League will now face the West Yorkshire League at Lincoln on May 5th.  A pity, as that would have been my first visit to Lincoln since 1975.  Another time, perhaps...