AS many fans of Football League teams will tell you, drawing a Non-League team in the FA Cup brings mixed emotions.
In theory it gives their team the best chance of passage through to the next round – but we all know in reality they are tricky affairs.
And then there is that dread. That fear your team could be the upset. The one no one will ever forget and will be played in title sequences for ever more.
Which is all great for us Non-League followers.
The FA Cup may have lost some of its magic for those managers and clubs higher up the food chain but first round day is still a highlight of the football calendar.
There are a lot to pick from but here are just a few FA Cup first round shocks over the last ten years.
Southport 4-2 Notts County – 2002
Steve Pickford was Southport's hero with two goals as the Football Conference Sandgrounders saw off County, who were struggling in the then-Division Two.
The League side did have to play a large portion of the game with ten men after Darren Caskey was sent-off in the first-half.
But Southport still had to come from two goals down. Pickford started the comeback with a double, including a fine lob that had the Match of the Day pundits raving.
Peter Thomson and Chris Lane scored the others to put the minnows into the second-round where they were knocked out by a Farnborough Town team that went on to meet Arsenal in the fourth round.
Hornchurch 2-0 Darlington – 2003
Ryman Premier Hornchurch were well backed financially but take nothing away, seeing off Third division Darlington was a great upset.
Goals in each half from Steve West, a penalty, and Vinnie John booked a second round date with Tranmere Rovers in front of the TV cameras.
The Urchins won promotion to the Conference South at the end of the season.
Staines 4-3 on penalties Stockport County – 2007
The Staines Massive were separated from Stockport by three leagues when they met in 2007.
Marc Charles-Smith hit an equaliser in the 1-1 draw at Edgeley Park to ensure a second crack at their Wheatsheaf Park home.
Adrian Toppin gave the Ryman Premier side a tenth-minute lead, but just as it looked like they might hang on Matty McNeil popped up with a late leveller.
But the drama wasn't over and when keeper Shaun Allaway made two spot-kick saves in the penalty shoot-out to become the Swans' No.1 hero.
Histon 1-0 Swindon – 2008
Histon's rise from village team to within a whisker of the Football League was remarkable. Their FA Cup feats, they went on to beat the mighty Leeds United in the second round, were even more so.
Striker Danny Wright grabbed the second-half winner to send Steve Fallon's locally grown side through.
Northwich Victoria 1-0 Charlton – 2009
With all the difficulties Northwich Victoria are going through right now it is hard to believe this shock happened just three years ago.
The Vics couldn't have landed a much bigger tie at this stage than the League One side. Manager Andy Preece made the perfect substitute with Wayne Riley notching the only goal of the game just five minutes after coming on.
FC United 3-2 Rochdale- 2010
If the wider footballing public didn't know about FC United they certainly did when Mike Norton squeezed in a dramatic winner right at the death.
Four leagues separated the two sides and, while there was a touch of controversy about the winner with Rochdale accusing Norton of fouling their keeper, it turned into one of the Cup's most recent success stories.
The platform allowed the Red Rebels to spread their message of the benefits of fan ownership.
In the second round the Evo-Stik Premier outfit took Brighton & Hove Albion to a replay.
With FA Cup first round back next Saturday we can all sit back and enjoy this season's stories.
