Stansted vs Clapton Community FC takes place on Saturday, October 19 2024 with a 3pm kick off at Hargrave Park, Cambridge Road, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex CM24 8BX
Clapton CFC Men’s First Team head to Stansted on Saturday in our first ever appearance in the FA Vase first round proper.
Having beaten the first FA Vase winners Hoddesdon Town on penalties in the qualifying round, we meet another club who have won the Vase in the first round.
The opposition
The Airportmen play one level higher than us, in the Essex Senior League, which provided both last season’s FA Vase winners and runners-up. Stansted lifted the trophy at Wembley in 1984, beating Stamford 3-2 in front of 8000 spectators. They won the ESL title in 2010, with Dwight Gayle leading the goalscoring charts, but were denied promotion due to ground grading issues. Last season they were moved sideways into the Spartan South Midlands League but are now back in the ESL.
Previous meetings
None.
Form guide
Stansted have had a patchy few seasons, presumably not helped by being moved out of the ESL where they’d played since its formation. Also it can’t have helped that they played the first 8 league games this season away from home due to sharing facilities with the local cricket team. At home they’ve had a couple of good wins, including beating Burnham Ramblers 2-0 in the FA Vase second qualifying round.
Players to watch
Watch out for the silky skills of former Sporting Bengal and Walthamstow midfielder Ashaan Siddik. Last season’s top scorer Correy Davidson has recently departed the club but there’s plenty of goalscorers in the team, including George O’Connor who scored 8 last season and is on 3 so far this season.
Admission
It’s £8 admission, £5 concessions, and U14s free. There’s a bar at the ground.
Travel
Hargrave Park is a 16-minute walk from Stansted Mountfitchet station. You can get there direct from London Liverpool Street (41 mins) and Tottenham Hale (29 mins). Train tickets are £12 on Greater Anglia’s Hare Fare promotion.
FA Vase round dates
- First Round Qualifying – Saturday 24 August 2024
- Second Round Qualifying – Saturday 21 September 2024
- First Round Proper – Saturday 19 October 2024
- Second Round Proper – Saturday 9 November 2024
- Third Round Proper – Saturday 7 December 2024
- Fourth Round Proper – Saturday 11 January 2025
- Fifth Round Proper – Saturday 1 February 2025
- Sixth Round Proper – Saturday 1 March 2025
- Semi Final 1st Leg – Saturday 29 March 2025 / 2nd Leg – Saturday 5 April 2025
- Final – Saturday 10 or Sunday 11 May 2025
FA Vase prize funds
- First Round Qualifying £550 winners £160 losers
- Second Round Qualifying £725 and £225
- First Round Proper £825 and £250
- Second Round Proper £900 and £275
- Third Round Proper £1125 and £350
- Fourth Round Proper £1875 and £600
- Fifth Round Proper £2250 and £725
- Quarter Final £4125 and £1350
- Semi Final £5500 and £1725
- Final £30000 and £15000