It’s uncharted territory for Tadley Calleva on Saturday with the possibility of an FA Cup First Round Proper appearance just 90 minutes away.

Not that anyone at the Hampshire club, based just inside the Berkshire border, is getting carried away with the magnitude of the task ahead against Enterprise National League and 2025 FA Trophy winners Aldershot Town.

“It’s a big week for us. We’ve got Aldershot on Saturday. Today we’ve got the FA Cup here at the club,” manager Joe Lawler told Football in Berkshire on Thursday.

It is a “dream draw” for the Romans boss who was assistant at Hartley Wintney when the Row reached the Fourth Qualifying Round in 2013/14 before defeat by Daventry Town.

Tadley’s run this season matches that of Lawler’s former club, playing in every round of the competition since it kicked off with the Extra Preliminary Round in August.

“Aldershot away, one of the dream draws. Hampshire club, local club. We can go and play against them and we’ll look to give it our best shot,” he says.

Away support

It’s a 40 minute drive from Tadley to Aldershot Town’s famous old Recreation Ground – Football League ground between 2008 and 2013, and 1932 to 1992 as Aldershot.

The club are putting on two coaches for supporters with more expected to make their own way (including Football in Berkshire). 900 packed Barlows Park for the previous game against Dartford so, it’s fair to say, FA Cup fever is high in the town.

Assistant manager Michael Buck revealed his dad is coming back early from a break for the game: “They obviously never expected us to get this far. My dad’s driving back up from Devon with his mate, so they’re going to come along and watch. A lot of friends are going to be there, listening on the radio as well, and family back in Essex as well.”

“Hopefully Tadley will be empty!” Lawler jokes. “I think we’ve continually beaten teams that are above us in terms of league position. I think the support from the club off the field has been absolutely superb. On game day, like the other two weeks ago when we played Dartford, having 900 people here, mainly Tadley fans all cheering for us, you really saw that on the pitch.

“I think the last two years, we’ve been able to capture that magic of the FA Cup and it’s come into our performances, which is great.

Hopefully, Tadley is quite empty. We’ve had great support throughout the Cup so far. We had great support last year and we’re hoping to have even better support at Aldershot, which is why it’s such a good draw.”

“The FA Cup is the greatest competition around. It’s a dream to be able to manage in it. It’s a dream for the players to be able to play in it. I think for a club like ours, they saw a little bit of success in it last year. So many people came out and supported us, especially for the Weymouth game.

“Unfortunately, we then lost to Bracknell in the round after. This year, again, when we started the FA Cup, we couldn’t have imagined being where we are today. I think in general, I always say to the boys and I say to everyone, the FA Cup is for the fans.

“Go and enjoy yourself and do the best you can. This year, we’ve just gone from strength to strength in the competition.”

Buck adds: “I always say it’s much harder being on this side of the white line than it is being on the pitch, but what an opportunity we’ve got. We’re not there to make the numbers up, let’s be clear.”

“We see ourselves to challenge anything that can happen. It’s the FA Cup. We’re going to go there with every intention to get ourselves into the draw for the first round.”

Brad squared

Lawler had a quick mention for his defenders Brad Neal and Bradley Passfield, both who’ve contributed important goals on this seasons FA Cup journey, with Neal getting the winner against Dartford from Passfield’s knockdown.

“Brad Neal was a player I inherited and to be honest, I’m lost for words with him. He just gets better and better each season. Every game, he gets better and better and I’m just privileged to have him in my side.”

He adds: “Brad Passfield, we signed him last year. He came in and we went to second-best defence in the league with them two playing. Obviously, he had the exploits last year in the FA Cup and this year they’ve come back and they’ve been superb.

Really excited to have them in the team. I don’t think you’ll get two better centre-halves in the league. Going into any game with them two, I think we’ve got a chance.