2012-13 FA Cup, Second Round Proper: location-map and attendances of the 40 clubs
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bbc.co.uk/ FA Cup (bbc.co.uk/sport/football/fa-cup).
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The map shows the 40 clubs that survived the First Round of the 2012-13 FA Cup. The Second Round Proper will take place on Friday 30 November, Saturday 1 December, Sunday 2 December, and Monday 3 December. Televised matches are the 2 matches on Sunday, and the Monday match, see this ‘2012-13 FA Cup/ broadcasting‘ (en.wikipedia.org).
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The biggest story in the Second Round Proper is the first-ever meeting of the franchise that stole Wimbledon FC – MK Dons FC – versus AFC Wimbledon, the club which was formed in 1992 immediately after then-Wimbledon FC owner Pete Winkelman announced his intention to move Wimbledon FC 56 miles (90 km.) north to Milton Keynes, Northamptonshire. Distraught fans organized a new club and AFC Wimbledon started in June 2002 and began play 2 months later in the 9th Level, and the club has won promotion 5 times since then, and are currently in their second season in the Football League. So the question is…Why didn’t Pete Winkelman just buy an existing club in the Milton Keynes area and then try to move them up the football leagues ladder, like AFC Wimbledon later did, and, you know, like every other club in the history of English football has done? The answer is that Pete Winkleman felt he was entitled to contravene over one hundred years of tradition and behavior, and take a club away from it’s supporters, simply because he could… and then 2 of the 3 guys that the FA entrusted to make a decision on this, one of whom is a lawyer, agreed, because in their infamous words, keeping Wimbledon FC in South London where all their fans were was ‘not in the wider interests of football’.
So MK Dons will forever be tainted, and will always be a pariah, and will be known ad infinitum as the franchise that thought it deserved to buy it’s way into the football league by ripping a club out of South London and leaving it’s supporters adrift without a club, and forced to start all over again.
Here are 3 recent articles on the subject…
From WSC.co.uk, from 16 Nov.2012, by Andy Brassell, ‘AFC Wimbledon must face the reality of MK Dons – But they don’t have to enjoy it‘.
From Guardian.co.uk/football, from 17 Nov.2012, by Daniel Taylor, ‘Nothing crazy about AFC Wimbledon fans’ grievances against MK Dons‘.
[Note: the following article has lots of photos, including photos of Wimbledon FC's old ground in South London, Plough Lane]…From DailyMail.co.uk, from 13 Nov. 2012, by Laura Williamson, ‘As the historic first meeting between MK Dons and AFC Wimbledon looms, here’s why this potential Cup grudge match will be a ‘crazy game’ for the Crazy Gang‘.
Here is the current episode of the Football League-based podcast called We Are Going Up, which features some good coverage of the build-up to the MK Dons v. AFC Wimbledon match, ‘wearegoingup.co.uk/2012/11/26/Episode 60 MK Dons v AFC Wimbledon‘.
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The 4 smallest clubs in the 2012-13 FA Cup Second Round Proper,
as measured by current average attendance (from home league matches) –
Hastings United, Dorchester Town, Harrogate Town, and Alfreton Town.
Hastings United. Hastings, East Sussex. Hastings United play at The Pilot Field, which opened in 1920. Hastings are the smallest club still alive in the 2012-13 FA Cup, as well as the lowest-placed (Hastings are in the Ryman Premier League [aka the Isthmian League], which is a 7th Level league). They currently are in 17th place in the Ryman Prem. In the First Round of the 2012-13 FA Cup, Hastings United upset Conference North (6th division) club Bishop’s Stortford by the score of 1-2, at Bishop’s Stortford, with Zac Attwood’s 88th-minute strike allowing Hastings United to advance to the Second Round of the FA Cup for the first time in their history. On 1 December, Hastings United travel north to North Yorkshire to face 6th division side Harrogater Town (in a match that will be broadcast live in the USA and Canada [on Fox Sports Plus]).
Photo credits above –
stadiumsandcities.wordpress.com/2012/10/21/hastings-3-blackfield-langley-0.
thehovian.co.uk/2012/07/23/hastings-united-3-2-albion.
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Dorchester Town. Dorchester, Dorset. Dorchester Town play at The Avenue Stadium, which opened in 1990. Dorchester Town are a 6th Level club in the Conference South, where they have played for 9 consecutive seasons (since 2004-05, when the 6th division was instituted in Non-League football). They currently are in 10th place in the Conference South. In the First Round of the 2012-13 FA Cup, Dorchester Town upset League Two (4th division) club Plymouth Argyle in Dorchester by the score of 1-0, before a crowd of 3,196 at the Avenue Stadium. The winning goal was scored by former Plymouth Argyle youth-team-player Jake Gosling. On 1 December Dorchester Town travel to the north commuter belt of Londin to Luton to face Conference side Luton Town.
Photo credits above -
lutontown.co.uk (lutontown.co.uk).
PA via bbc.co.uk/sport/football.
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Harrogate Town. Harrogate, North Yorkshire. Harrogate Town play at Wetherby Road [also known as CNG Stadium for sponsorship reasons]. Harrogate Town are a 6th Level club in the Conference North, where they have played for 9 consecutive seasons (since 2004-05, when the 6th division was instituted in Non-League football). They currently are in 14th place in the Conference North. In the First Round of the 2012-13 FA Cup, Harrogate Town upset League Two (4th division) club Torquay United down on the South Coast there in Torbay by the score of 0-1, with the winning goal scored by the Nigerian-born Chibuzor Chilaka. On 1 December Harrogate Town host the lowest-placed club still alive in the 2012-13 FA Cup, the 7th division club Hastings United.
Photo and image credits above -
thedribblingcode.wordpress.com/2011/11/07/sat-29-oct-2011-harrogate-town-v-hyde-conf-north/.
harrogatetownafc.com/club-shop/club-shop/.
bing.com/maps/Bird’s Eye satellite view.
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Alfreton Town. Alfreton, Derbyshire. Alfreton Town play at North Street, which is also known as the Impact Arena for sponsorship reasons. Alfreton Town are a 5th Level club in the Conference National, in their second-ever season in the 5th division. They currently are in 12th place in the Conference. In the First Round of the 2012-13 FA Cup, Alfreton Town beat fellow Conference side Wrexham 2-4 at the Racecourse Ground in North Wales. Alfreton Town’s Ben Tomlinson struck twice for the Reds to secure victory, in the 79th minute and in the 92nd munute, before he was sent off for inciting the crowd with his celebration. On 1 December, Alfreton Town host a televised FA Cup Second Round match versus the Est London-based League One (3rd division) side Leyton Orient.
Photo credits above –
parkin1s at.com media.beta.photobucket.com.
theballissquare.co.uk/alfreton-town.
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Thanks to soccerway.com for attendance figures (for Football League clubs, and Conference clubs).
Thanks to nonleague.co.uk for attendance figures (for the 7th-level club, Hastings United.
Thanks to the contributors to the pages at en.wikipedia.org, ‘2012–13 FA Cup‘.
Thanks to bbc.co.uk/football for the Fixture list image on the map page.