For a club founded in 1860 and recognised as the second oldest football club and the oldest in London, the occasion represents one of the most significant moments in its 166-year history.

The Wands will welcome League One leaders Stockport County to Flamingo Park on November 8, with kick-off at 2.15pm, in a fixture that has attracted attention far beyond the local football community. The match has been selected for live television coverage and will be broadcast nationally on BBC Two, as well as BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website and TNT Sports 3.

The overwhelming demand for tickets underlines the excitement surrounding the occasion, with every available ticket snapped up within minutes of going on sale.

Cray Wanderers team 1896 (Image: Submitted)

Having entered the competition at the First Qualifying Round, Cray Wanderers have overcome Lewes, Maidstone United, Chippenham Town and Bedford Town to reach the First Round Proper for the first time in the club's history. Their reward is a sold-out home fixture against one of the highest-ranked teams remaining in the competition.

For generations of supporters who have followed the club through decades of non-league football, the match is more than simply a cup fixture. It is a celebration of a football club whose story stretches back over a century and a half and whose place in football history remains unique.

The occasion is also a landmark moment for Flamingo Park, which will host one of the highest-profile matches in the club's history. With television cameras in attendance and football fans across the country watching, the fixture will shine a spotlight on both the club and the local community.

The magic of the FA Cup has always been its ability to create moments that transcend league positions and budgets. Cray Wanderers' journey from the Isthmian League to a nationally televised match against Football League opposition is a powerful reminder of why the competition continues to capture the imagination of supporters at every level of the game.

While Stockport County will arrive as favourites, the Wands have already shown resilience, determination and belief throughout their cup run. The result has been a surge of interest from supporters old and new, culminating in a sold-out crowd and a national television audience.

For players, volunteers, supporters and everyone connected with the club, the match represents the latest chapter in a story that began in 1860. One hundred and sixty-six years on, one of football's oldest clubs now stands on the national stage, preparing for a fixture that many supporters have waited a lifetime to see.