You want to progress as far as you can in the FA Cup, says Clive Walker

FAVERSHAM TOWN assistant manager Clive Walker knows all about FA Cup giantkillings – but he hopes his side avoid one when they travel to Raynes Park Vale in the Preliminary Round on Saturday, writes Stephen McCartney.


The Lilywhites travel to the Combined Counties League side on the back of just one win from their opening four Ryman League Division One South games and Walker reflects on his past FA Cup achievements.

He said: “Well, obviously it’s a Cup match, so probably tough I would think.  I’ve never been to the ground so I don’t know, but I think it will be quite hard, always is, FA Cup matches.”

Reflecting on his illustrious career, Walker, 65, said: “I’ve had some good runs with club’s I’ve been at.  When we were with Mansfield we had a few good Cup runs there, fifth and sixth round.  I can remember going to Leeds and getting beat 2-1 in the fifth round in the FA Cup in 1970, 1971, something like that.

“When I was assistant manager at Northampton we got to the fourth round.   We beat Coventry in one round, lost in the fourth or fifth round in the 80’s.

“When I was manager of Northampton we played Aston Villa in the third round when they were European Champions.   We got beat 1-0 at the County Ground, so one or two cup runs, yes, both ends of the scale.”

The FA Cup is a special competition – the Greatest Competition in the World, and Walker, who has managed the likes of Maidstone United, Dover Athletic, Chatham Town and Ashford Town here in Kent, loves the magic involved.
“It’s just the name of the FA Cup – it’s just one of those things,” said Walker, whose club will bank £1,500 in prize money if they get through this round.

“Even at these levels, obviously it’s money.  Every time you get through the rounds it’s money, which definitely helps club’s at this level.   The more rounds you go through the more income you’re going to make.  That’s the main thing and it brings a bit of glory, it gets the club lifted a bit, it lifts the town, it lifts everybody.”

Raynes Park Vale sit in fifteenth place (out of 22 teams) in the top flight of the Combined Counties League with two wins and a draw from their opening five outings, but they go into the game on the back of two defeats.

“It’s a big game for them and it’s a big game for us really,” said Walker.  “Like I say you want to progress as far as you can in the FA Cup.  It won’t be easy, it never is.  I’ve never known one yet.  The players’ put a bit more in. 

“I’ve seen it all before.  It’s still a good thing to be in.”

Walkera added: “The thing is, it’s virtually a one off and we have got to be really mentally prepared for this, s we don’t know what we’re coming up against. 

“You can be turned over before you know it.” 

Walker added: “It’s not easy is it away from home.  Even if they were coming to us they wouldn’t fancy it and that’s the FA Cup.  There’s always shocks in it.  You just hope you can get through it.”

Reflecting on Faversham’s start to their new league campaign, their second at this level, Walker admitted things could be better.

“Last Monday, I thought we played well against Croydon Athletic,” he said.  “If we take that performance into this game then we’ve got a great chance.

“It’s been up and down.  I think the first match of the season we played well against Worthing and we unfortunately got beat by them.   We could have been three or four up at half-time but missed chances and they got a goal out of nothing.

“I thought we were poor against Hythe, for the last 25-30 minutes.  I think Whitehawk are a good side – we would be lucky to get anything from them!

“We played well against Croydon Athletic, looked a decent side and were full of goals for a change.

“It’s very up and down at this early start.  We’ve had a very hard start when you look at the fixtures but that’s the time to play them I suppose.

“We needed to score.  The three previous games we haven’t scored a goal. I’m not saying we haven’t created enough chances to score a goal.

“We’ve come back well and we look like scoring goals now, which is pleasing.”

Visit Faversham Town’s website: www.favershamtownfc.co.uk  

Raynes Park Vale  v  Faversham Town
FA Cup with Budweiser Preliminary Round
Saturday 3^rd September 2011
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Prince Georges Fields, Grand Dive, Raynes Park, London SW20 9NB