It’s here: the Emirates FA Cup first round proper is back and there will be a host of former winners entering the competition at this stage.
Three-time winners Sheffield Wednesday kick things off on Friday night at home to Morecambe (kick-off 7.45pm), with the 1939 and 2008 champions Portsmouth facing Hereford ten minutes later in the first televised match of the weekend on BBC Two, iPlayer and on their website.
Former England striker Kevin Phillips reached the semi-final of the Emirates FA Cup as a player with West Bromwich Albion and in his first full campaign as a manager is hoping to guide South Shields past League One Forest Green Rovers in front of the BBC One cameras. The Northern Premier League side are four levels below Rovers but will be hoping to cause a major shock in front of an expected record crowd on Saturday at 12pm.
Saturday will also see two former FA Cup winners and former Premier League sides go head-to-head in the Emirates FA Cup first round proper, with Barnsley travelling to Bolton Wanderers (2pm).
One former FA Cup winner, Notts County, has already departed the competition at the hands of Coalville Town and now the Southern League Premier Division Central side are hoping to do the same once again, this time when they travel to The Valley to face Charlton Athletic.
The lowest-ranked side left in the competition is Alvechurch, who are 17th in the Southern Premier Central. They face the difficult task of travelling to League One side Cheltenham Town on Saturday (3pm).
Lincoln City will be hoping to make history once again when they return to the Emirates FA Cup on Saturday away to Chippenham Town (3pm). In 2017, Lincoln became the first non-league side in 103 years to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals with a dramatic last-minute win at Premier League side Burnley.
Another of the most impressive FA Cup runs in recent times was that of non-league Sutton United, who in the 2016-17 season beat AFC Wimbledon and Leeds United en route to the fifth round. Now a League Two club, Sutton will be hoping to kick off another impressive run when they welcome Farnborough on Saturday afternoon (3pm).
The Golden Ball in partnership with Mitre currently sees Jon Clements and Louie Theophanous top the table on eight but with both Biggleswade and Beckenham Town out of the FA Cup, players such as Thomas Peers, who is on six, will be hoping to leapfrog the duo. Peers’ Curzon Ashton side welcome League One Cambridge United on Sunday (2pm).
Along with the two games mentioned above being shown on BBC TV channels, iPlayer and online, there will be three other matches televised across the four days.
Wrexham AFC host Oldham Athletic at 12.30pm on Sunday afternoon before 1946 FA Cup winners Derby County travel to Torquay United at 3pm, with both being shown on ITV, UTV, STV, ITV Hub & STV Player.
The fifth televised match is 1978 champions Ipswich Town’s trip to Bracknell Town on Monday night, with kick off at 7.45pm and the game being shown on ITV4, UTV, STV, ITV Hub & STV Player.
The 40 victorious teams will all receive £41,000 in prize money and progress to the second round proper, which will take place across the weekend of Saturday 26 November.
The draw for the FA Cup second round proper will take place from 7pm on Monday 7 November, live on BBC2 and across our own official social media channels.
Source: The Football Association