Sherwood Cup Match Live On BBC

“We’re football lovers who just love the beautiful game,” Sherwood Colliery Vice Chairman, Mike Staton, on the announcement that the Wood will travel to Sheffield, live on the BBC.

A Nottinghamshire club, excited to be on the BBC, in the FA Cup, it’s unheard of isn’t it?

It’s not your usual Nottingham Forest, Notts County, or Mansfield Town, it’s not even a Worksop Town, Retford, Retford United, nothing like that – no, it’s Mansfield Woodhouse-based, Sherwood Colliery, of the NCEL Premier Division.

Yes, the Colliery club, who’ve only been in existence since 2008, will travel to, and take on, the world’s oldest club, Sheffield FC, in front of the BBC cameras, on Saturday afternoon (21 August), in the Preliminary Round of the FA Cup.

Managed by Wayne Savage, and captained by Jobe Shaw, the latter whom everyone believes bleeds blue and black, will have already played five competitive matches by the time they reach Sheffield, two of which came in the FA Cup earlier this month.

In beginning their league campaign, winning 4-0 at home to Atherley Recreation, the Wood’s FA Cup journey began against Boston Town, Ryan Ingram scoring in both ties, a 1-1 draw, followed by a 1-0 replay win, set up the big, BBC encounter.

Speaking to Sherwood Colliery Vice Chairman, Mike Staton, of sponsors Staton Mortgage & Protection Specialists (statonmortgages.co.uk), he told ‘the Nottingham Sport’ of his surprise at the announcement, and what something of this magnitude means to the club.

“I was absolutely gobsmacked with the announcement and immediately took to social media with the news,” began Staton, who has been at the club the past three years.

“I’m over the moon both for the club itself, and for the players, especially after the past eighteen months we’ve all endured.

“It’s escapism for them, for all of us, and they can go out there, and do what they love doing.

“So, to watch that, on the BBC, is immense, and it’s the beauty of the game.”

Sheffield meanwhile, who were formed way-back-when, will have only played two matches when they head into Saturday’s FA Cup game, a season opener with Tadcaster Albion, which finished 2-2, and a Tuesday night match at home to another Nottinghamshire side, Worksop Town (Sherwood travel to Hemsworth Miners Welfare on the same night)

“This game, it’s equivalent to that of a Conference club, playing a Premier League side,” explained Staton.

“It’s phenomenal to be able to get an opportunity like this as we’re a family-orientated club, diverse, and cover every spectrum possible.”

As tough as the past year-and-a-half has been, everywhere, there is always a glimmer of light at the end of those long, dark tunnels.

The FA Cup is, to many, the best club competition in the world, and for a club like Sherwood, a colliery club who, like many in and around Mansfield, and Nottinghamshire on the whole, have stood the test of time, having an opportunity like this can mean so much.

In Vice Chairman Staton, himself a Manchester City fan, and one who remembers the dark days in Manchester, there’s a certain scenario which will be topped should his beloved blue-and-black colliery side win at the weekend.

“If Sherwood can beat Sheffield, with a goal in the last minute, then that’ll top Aguero’s goal (that won the Premier League title for Manchester City) for me,” beamed Staton.

“Gareth (Bull, Sherwood Chairman) has a vision for the club though, and that’s for football, at any level, to be played at the colliery, every Saturday.

“For me though, and with the business sponsoring them, it’s done because football has kept me off the streets as a youth, and I wanted to be able to give something back.

“Now though, we just need to go out there (on Saturday) and have a good day of it, as something like this is what we’ve not had for a while.”

Sherwood Colliery make the trip to Sheffield FC, in the FA Cup Preliminary Round, on Saturday 21 August, kick-off at 12:30pm, LIVE on the BBC Red Button, the BBC website, and the BBC iPlayer.