Sport

Dream draw for Stevenage

The giants get bigger and so does the dilemma for Stevenage

By JEREMY ALEXANDER
Mon Jan 05 1998 - 00:00

The giants get bigger and so does the dilemma for Stevenage. The Hertfordshire heroes, 2-1 winners at Swindon, landed a home tie with Newcastle in yesterday's fourth-round English FA Cup draw. Stevenage Stadium (capacity 6,500) or St James's Park (36,100)? That is the question. The answer, said their chairman Vince Green, lies with the police. "It's a decision to be taken by the police, largely for safety reasons."

Properly, the first thing was joy. "It's a fantastic draw for the club, brilliant," said the manager, Paul Fairclough. "We've got the draw we wanted."

Last year Stevenage drew Birmingham at home, switched the match to St Andrews and cashed in on a 15,000 crowd, a quarter of their Conference home gates for the season. Realism is likely to outweigh romance again, regardless of the police. Hungry for funds, they could gross around £300,000 plus television money by swapping.

"I think realistically it will probably have to go to Newcastle," said Fairclough, who added that their home ground was now up to League standard.

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Stevenage Stadium has been a major issue for the club the last few seasons - two years ago the Vauxhall Conference club were refused promotion to the Football League after the ground failed to meet safety standards.

"We were a Football League facility when we drew Birmingham last year but it was because of the numbers who wanted to see the game that it was transferred really," said Fairclough.

Newcastle are second favourites to win the Cup, behind Manchester United, at 3 to 1, after their 1-0 win at Everton. But it was not going to Kenny Dalglish's head. "We'll settle for the same result," said Newcastle's manager. "You can't be complacent." Stevenage are 5,000 to 1.

In similar vein, Old Trafford is the new incentive for Peterborough and Walsall. Cheltenham, if they beat Reading, go to Cardiff.

There are two definite all-Premiership ties - Coventry v Derby, Crystal Palace v Leicester - and possibly two more, to encourage the hopes of Football League clubs dodging giants in the fifth round too.

Paul Merson could find himself facing Arsenal at The Riverside, depending on two replays. Middlesbrough have to beat QPR while Arsenal win at Port Vale.