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FA Cup

Pope wary of Abbey assault

Kidsgrove Athletic manager Tom Pope admits he would have rather faced a Step 4 rival than North Staffordshire neighbours Abbey Hulton United in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary round on Saturday.

by
The Non-League Football Paper Team
2 August 2026

By Richard Scott

FA CUP PREVIEW
Kidsgrove Athletic manager Tom Pope admits he would have rather faced a Step 4 rival than North Staffordshire neighbours Abbey Hulton United in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary round on Saturday.
Abbey are tipped to be Midland League frontrunners this season, boasting a number of players with experience at a higher level.
And Pope, who is now in charge at the Fitzjohn Stadium alongside Matt Rhead – one of the heroes of Lincoln City’s FA Cup run to the quarter-finals a decade ago – knows to expect a tough test.
“I know Jon Beaumont (Abbey Hulton’s manager), and he...

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Related TopicsAbbey Hulton United FA Cup Kidsgrove Athletic Midland League NLP Premium The NLP

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