In the modest clubhouse of Weston-super-Mare AFC, a sense of delighted disbelief still hangs in the air weeks after the FA Cup draw. The part-time, sixth-tier club has scripted a historic run, reaching the competition's fourth round for the very first time, and now prepares for a trip to face League Two's Grimsby Town.
A Club Buzzing With Belief
Bridget Bolland, the club's operations manager, reflects on the surreal nature of their journey, picturing elite stars where visiting teams normally eat sausage and chips beside the skittles alley. Instead of hosting Premier League giants, Weston-super-Mare will travel to Blundell Park to face a Grimsby side that famously defeated Manchester United earlier this season. For manager Scott Rogers, a Manchester United fan, that result was painful viewing, but now it serves as inspiration. "I was going mad at the TV. But I'm hoping we can do something similar," Rogers states. "There's always an upset in the Cup: why can't it be us?"
A Squad of Teachers, Builders and Former Pros
The squad embodies the spirit of non-league football. The players, who train just twice a week, balance football with day jobs ranging from builders and teachers to lecturers. Captain Emlyn Lewis, who works at Cardiff Metropolitan University, has booked annual leave for the trip. The team boasts a mix of experience, including 37-year-old former Northern Ireland international Michael Smith and promising youngsters like Charlie Cummins, on loan from Exeter.
The camaraderie is palpable. After their dramatic second-round victory over Chelmsford City, where striker Louis Britton scored both goals, the team celebrated with fans at a local pub. "We had a few beers with them and it was brilliant," recalls Smith. "That's what this level is all about... We were well lubricated on the way back." Manager Rogers savoured a quiet moment on the bus, reflecting on the £150,000 windfall the Cup run has generated for the club.
Roots, History and a Family Affair
Weston-super-Mare is a club steeped in local history and family ties. Last summer, Paul Bliss stepped down as chairman after 39 years, passing the role to his son Oli. Paul, who turns 80 next year, will be among ten family members in the 1,200-strong away contingent at Grimsby. The club's president, Dennis Usher, has been involved since 1979, and a stand at the ground bears his name.
The club's connections even stretch to the Premier League. An Aston Villa shirt signed by Ollie Watkins, who played on loan at Weston in 2014-15, hangs proudly in the boardroom. Jacob Cane, the club's longest-serving player, remains close friends with Watkins and recalls sharing lifts to training with him and Matt Jay over a decade ago.
As they embark on their seventh Cup match of a memorable season that began at Taunton Town in September, everyone at Weston-super-Mare is determined to extend the fairytale. Chairman Oli Bliss, who budgeted for just two cup wins this season, captures the mood: "If we go through, it will be a pretty momentous day." For manager Scott Rogers and his band of part-time dreamers, the question remains: why can't it be them?
