FA Vase

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FA Vase
The-isuzu-fa-vase.png
The Isuzu FA Vase Logo
Founded1974
RegionEngland, Wales, Channel Islands, Isle of Man (The FA)
Number of teamsAbout 600
Current champions Romford (1st title)
Most successful club(s) Whitley Bay (4 times)
Television broadcasters TNT Sports
(final only)
Soccerball current event.svg 2024–25 FA Vase

The FA Vase ( also known as the Isuzu FA Vase for sponsorship reasons), is an annual football competition run by and named after The Football Association (The FA), for teams playing in Steps 5 and 6 of the English National League System. Nearly 600 teams participate in this knockout competition with semi-finals played over two legs. The final is played at Wembley Stadium.

Contents

The 2024 winners were Romford, who beat Great Wakering Rovers 3–0 at Wembley Stadium.

History

Nantwich Town celebrate winning the Vase after beating Hillingdon Borough in the final in 2006. Nantwich Town FC - FA Vase Parade.JPG
Nantwich Town celebrate winning the Vase after beating Hillingdon Borough in the final in 2006.

Until 1974, football players were categorised as either professionals or amateurs. Amateurs were not paid (at least not officially) by their clubs; amateur clubs had their own national cup competition, the FA Amateur Cup. Professionals were paid to play by their clubs; until the creation of the FA Trophy in 1969 there was no national knock-out competition specifically for professional clubs outside the Football League.

In 1974, with many of the top amateur players receiving payment for playing, the Football Association abolished the distinction, scrapped the Amateur Cup and introduced the FA Vase for the majority of clubs who had previously played in the competition. Well over 200 clubs entered in the first season, 1974–75, when Hoddesdon Town of the Spartan League beat Epsom & Ewell of the Surrey Senior League 2–1 in the final at Wembley Stadium before a crowd of 9,000.

In September 2021 Hinckley AFC set a new record score in the competition, [1] beating St Martins 18–0. [2]

Eligibility

Whitley Bay take on Abbey Hey in an FA Vase match in 2008. FAVaseAction2008.jpg
Whitley Bay take on Abbey Hey in an FA Vase match in 2008.

In recent years, entry to the FA Vase has been restricted to clubs in the ninth and lower tiers of the English football league system (those in the four levels above the ninth qualified for the FA Trophy). Reorganisation of the National League System for 2004 onwards moved the dividing line down to the new "Step 5" (ninth tier overall). Clubs from the Channel Islands (First Tower United, St. Martins and Vale Recreation) and the Isle of Man (Douglas HSOB) also entered the Vase in the past. Guernsey F.C., who were formed in 2011 and played in the "Step 5" Combined Counties League, gained entry for the 2012–13 season [3] [4] and reached the semi-finals.

Exemptions

Finals

Only five teams have won the FA Vase more than once. Whitley Bay are the only team to win the FA Vase three times in successive seasons, while Billericay Town, Tiverton Town and Halesowen Town have won back-to-back titles. As of 2017–18, at least one Northern League team has reached the final for 10 consecutive seasons, with teams from the league winning the title in all but two of those years. In 2017 Forest Green Rovers became the first FA Vase winners to go on to play in the English Football League, while one former Football League team (Glossop North End) have been beaten finalists.

Media coverage

BT Sport showed the 2016 FA Vase Final between Hereford and Morpeth Town live on 22 May as part of a double-header along with the 2016 FA Trophy Final. [5] This has continued in more recent years.

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References

  1. ↑ "FA Vase Factfile". @FAVasefactfile Twitter. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  2. ↑ "St Martins 0 - 18 Hinckley AFC". Hinckley AFC Official. 12 September 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  3. ↑ "FA Vase 1st Qualifying Round draw". the FA. 6 July 2012. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  4. ↑ "FA Vase: Guernsey FC face Crowborough Athletic in FA Vase". BBC News. 6 July 2012. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  5. ↑ "Tickets on sale for FA Non-League Finals Day at Wembley". The Football Association . 11 February 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
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