The FA Cup managed to squeeze out another 24 hours of magic yesterday when the draw reverted to its traditional Monday lunchtime slot and Farnborough Town of the Nationwide Conference drew the trophy's holders and Premiership leaders, Arsenal.
By Michael Walker
There was another moment to savour when Everton's conquerors Shrewsbury Town received the team Arsenal defeated in last season's final, Chelsea. Those two ties were the pick of a stimulating draw that will guarantee a minimum of seven non-Premiership clubs in the last 16.
Farnborough had been number 13 in the Football Association's velvet bag at Soho Square and deserved some good fortune after getting Darlington away in the third round, but luck like this is of lottery proportions.
Drawn at home at Cherrywood Road, where their average attendance last season was 837 and their capacity is 4,900, Farnborough were immediately pressed as to whether to retain home advantage or switch the game to Highbury for financial gain.
The club chose to take their time making the decision and will consult with Hampshire police. An alternative venue is the Madejski Stadium, though that would depend on the outcome of Reading's replay with Walsall.
Owner and manager Graham Westley said yesterday: "If our players look at them as superstars we may as well give them the tie now. The dangers for Arsenal are thinking they have an easy passage into the next round and underestimating us. Arsene must have known we were coming up because he rested (Thierry) Henry at the weekend!"
Dagenham and Redbridge, the other non-League club left in the draw, must beat Plymouth Argyle at home in a replay if they are to face the winners of the postponed Norwich-Brighton game, scheduled for January 14th. Dagenham have already been boosted by Sky Television's decision to cover the Plymouth match next Tuesday for which they will net £165,000.
Money matters had also impinged on Shrewsbury's view of their upset of Everton.
On Saturday night their chairman Roland Wycherley was scathing of television's choice of live games, particularly the BBC who showed two all-Premiership ties.
The £100,000 fee would have benefited Shrewsbury more than Southampton and Manchester City.
The Shrewsbury manager, Kevin Ratcliffe, even ventured that he was the only one happy with Nigel Jemson's late winner as the rest of the club wanted a replay payday at Goodison Park.
But Shrewsbury have better than that now. Chelsea will mean another capacity crowd at Gay Meadow.
In the scale of unlikely victories Rochdale's 2-1 win at Preston North End was Saturday's third largest. Paul Simpson, Rochdale's player-manager, was rewarded for his winner with a home tie against either Coventry City or Cardiff City.
Presumably Rochdale will prefer the 1987 winners rather than 1927's as a lot of gate money would be spent on policing the Cardiff fans.
Wolverhampton Wanderers would probably have fancied Premiership opposition after overcoming Newcastle United but a Midlands derby with Leicester City, at Molineux, was a fair consolation.
Guardian Service
