Sheppey United, which sits on the 8th step of the football pyramid, 4 whole leagues lower than their opponents, have never before made it to the first round of the FA Cup in their more than 130 years of history.
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 The magic of the FA Cup, David versus Goliath.
00:04 Sheppard United will tonight take on Walsall
00:07 as it goes into its first ever FA Cup first round proper.
00:12 This is what it means to the supporters.
00:14 Still feels unreal, you know, it's I don't think it'll ever really sink in
00:17 for as long as I live, really.
00:18 I know it's only a small thing.
00:20 People say Walsall at home, what does that mean?
00:22 But to a club like us on the island, it means everything, you know.
00:25 So it's so excited.
00:28 Slight disbelief and all those things.
00:30 Means everything.
00:31 I mean, I've been going for years and years, even when they were down Botany Road.
00:36 You know, my father, he was a big Sheppie fan.
00:40 My uncle was a big Sheppie fan.
00:42 It's a dream come true.
00:43 And, you know, it's a day we've all been waiting for as a family,
00:46 as an island forever.
00:49 And it's here now.
00:51 It's just, you know, we're going to enjoy it.
00:53 If you're thinking of coming along to the fixture to watch the game,
00:56 well, you absolutely can't.
00:57 There are no tickets left.
00:58 But there are many pubs just like this one where you can come along
01:02 and watch the game on TV.
01:03 Now, here at the pub today, we've got quite a few fans of Sheppie.
01:07 How's everybody looking for it?
01:09 It's an event full of firsts for the club,
01:13 which has never before made it to this round of the competition,
01:16 nor has it had a fixture shown on live TV.
01:18 And two days before the game had its first ever press conference.
01:23 We spoke about 10, 11 weeks ago up here in the boardroom,
01:27 just a general chat, takeover.
01:29 I thought it'd be nice, a bit of football every Saturday
01:31 and get to know the first team and see where we can take it.
01:34 The last probably 10 days has just been an absolute whirlwind,
01:37 an unbelievable whirlwind.
01:39 You know, we're going places we've never been before.
01:41 But how did this club get here?
01:47 The 130 year history of Sheppie United is a mixed bag,
01:51 facing both financial pressures causing multiple rebrands
01:54 to substantial investment and regional cup success.
01:58 It currently sits in the Ithsmean League Southeast,
02:01 which sits eighth on the football pyramid.
02:03 And after beating Welsh side Merthyr Tydfil 4-1
02:06 and Essex club Bielerricci on replay penalties,
02:09 both of which are one step above Sheppie on the pyramid,
02:12 it now faces League two side Walsall,
02:15 which is a whopping four steps above Sheppie in the pyramid.
02:20 They're going to be very, you know, top quality opposition for us.
02:23 And it's about playing our game and keeping a strong mind
02:26 and being composed on the ball
02:29 and not letting the occasion take over the performance.
02:32 And if we can do that and you know, that would give us an opportunity.
02:36 And for its players, most of whom have to juggle playing
02:40 with a full time job, this game means everything.
02:43 The line here is we won't play this level of football again,
02:46 and it's the best opportunity that we can be given
02:49 because like considering it's a Friday night, they're coming down here
02:52 playing on a surface they're not comfortable, possibly not comfortable with.
02:55 It's a different surface.
02:57 The fans, they won't have a lot of fans.
02:59 I know our fans will be noisy.
03:01 Let's see how they can see how they can react and see what we can do.
03:05 I mean, there's no pressure on us.
03:07 All the pressure is on them.
03:09 So we're just going to go out, enjoy ourselves and whatever happens, happens.
03:13 So with the eyes of the nation turning towards the little old Isle of Sheppie,
03:19 the players, supporters and the entire island now holds its breath
03:24 as the next chapter of the Uites underdog story is written before them.
03:28 Bartholomew Hall for KMTV on the Isle of Sheppie.