AFC Emley manager Darren Hepworth talks about his love of the FA Cup ahead of Sunday’s Extra Preliminary Round clash with Wigan Robin Park at the Welfare Ground (kick off 3pm).
From the club’s point of view the FA Cup is massive financially. We are a well-run club and well-drilled club and financially we are in the black. We don’t spend beyond our means.
But it is a struggle and as much as push on commercially, trying to be sustainable financially is always a challenge. A run in the FA Cup would be really important.
From a player’s perspective, it is one of the key draws. Talking of Ash Flynn and John Cyrus, one thing they will miss out on this season is the FA Cup and FA Vase because Shaw Lane Aquaforce don’t qualify for them. For players playing in it, it doesn’t get any bigger does it.
I’m an Arsenal fan so 1979 and Alan Sunderland scoring the winner against Man United are my fond memories. It is good this year that the final is being played on its own on a Saturday without being stuck in the middle of a whole load of Premier League fixtures. I think that is where the FA Cup needs to be.
I personally never played in the FA Cup. As a manager I have fulfilled a life-long ambition already, but I haven’t done well in it so to progress through the Preliminary stages and go as far as we can would be great.
When I came out for my first FA Cup game as a manager you get the buzz. You watch the FA Cup on the TV when you were younger and you don’t imagine that you would ever play a part in it.
When it comes to the day there is a huge buzz around the club. It brings good press interest and there is even talk this season of Wigan bringing the FA Cup up to the Welfare Ground. It is being played on the Sunday so if they bring the FA Cup, I don’t think you’ll see me, I’ll be stashing it away somewhere!
To touch something like that would be a dream in itself.
Darren Hepworth was in conversation with James Grayson
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