The National League duo of Chesterfield and Boreham Wood are back – the first pair of non-league clubs to reach the FA Cup third round together in consecutive seasons since Barrow and Forest Green Rovers did so in 2008-09 and 2009-10.
The other non-league side in the third round this season are Wrexham. No team from outside the top flight have won the competition since West Ham United in 1980, the longest such gap in FA Cup history, while the present run of 14 consecutive finals with an all-top-flight line-up is the joint longest.
The best bet to end those sequences may be the in-form Championship leaders Burnley, whose manager Vincent Kompany won the trophy as Manchester City captain in 2019. Burnley start their campaign away to Bournemouth.
Milner’s mark
James Milner’s 51 appearances in the main rounds of the FA Cup is the most among present players. The 37-year-old has played five FA Cup games for Leeds United, eight for Newcastle United, 11 for Aston Villa, 16 for Manchester City and 11 for current club Liverpool. Milner, who trails Ian Callaghan, the all-time leader, by 37, hopes to be fit to face Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday night.
Replay rejigs
The arrangement for FA Cup replays has changed for the third season in a row and for the fifth time in seven years. Potential replays in the sixth and fifth rounds were dropped to relieve fixture backlogs, since when congestion related to Covid has built up (causing the total abandonment of replays for one season) but then eased.
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Durable competition
The FA Cup has been running since 1871.
Boreham Wood (tier 5, 13th) v Accrington Stanley (tier 3, 20th)
Accrington 41 places higher
Kick-off Saturday, 3pm
Referee O Langford
Most advanced round met in FA Cup none
Two who played for both clubs Omar Beckles, Piero Mingoia
Stat Only two teams below the top two tiers have reached the third round for the past three seasons – Shrewsbury and non-league Boreham Wood.
Chesterfield (tier 5, 3rd) v West Bromwich Albion (tier 2, 9th)
West Brom 71 places higher
Kick-off Saturday, 3pm
Referee R Welch
Most advanced round met in FA Cup none
Played for both clubs Marc-Antoine Fortuné, Shane Nicholson
Stat West Brom have played in 20 FA Cup semi-finals (the eighth most) but Chesterfield have reached that stage as often as West Brom since 1982 (once each).
Coventry City (tier 2, 14th) v Wrexham (tier 5, 2nd)
Coventry 60 places higher
Kick-off Saturday, 5.30pm
TV Live, S4C
Radio BBC 5 Live Sports Extra
Referee T Nield
Most advanced round met in FA Cup none
Played for both clubs Andy Morrell, Dele Adebola
Remembering Dixie’s delight
Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson is the most recent manager to have led a team from outside the top flight to a major cup final – his fourth-tier Bradford City side lost 5-0 to Swansea City in the 2013 League Cup final. Wrexham are among three non-league teams in the third round but in 1978, as members of the third tier, they beat non-league opposition in Blyth Spartans in the fifth round before falling to Arsenal in the quarter-finals. In that campaign Dixie McNeil scored 11 goals for Wrexham.
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Crystal Palace (tier 1, 12th) v Southampton (tier 1, 20th)
Palace 8 places higher
Kick-off Saturday, 12.30pm
Referee D Bond
Most advanced round met in FA Cup semi-final in 1975-76 (Southampton 2, Palace 0)
Played for both clubs Neil Shipperley, Iain Dowie
Stat Their 1976 meeting was the only semi-final in the past 100 FA Cup seasons with both sides outside the top flight and one of those below the second tier (Palace were in third tier).
Gillingham (tier 4, 24th) v Leicester City (tier 1, 13th)
Leicester 79 places higher
Kick-off Saturday, 12.30pm
TV Live, BBC One.
Radio talkSPORT 2, BBC 5 Live
Referee S Barrott
Most advanced round met in FA Cup none
Played for both clubs Ade Akinbiyi, Junior Lewis
Stat Peter Taylor managed Gillingham and Leicester to the FA Cup quarter-finals in consecutive seasons (1999-2000, and 2000-01). Gillingham are managed by Neil Harris, whose Millwall side beat reigning league champions Leicester in 2017 to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals.
Tottenham Hotspur (tier 1, 5th) v Portsmouth (tier 3, 12th)
Tottenham 51 places higher
Kick-off Saturday, 12.30pm
TV Live, BBC red button/iPlayer
Radio talkSPORT, BBC 5 Live Sports Extra
Referee T Bramall
Most advanced round met in FA Cup semi-final in 2009-10 (Portsmouth 2, Tottenham 0)
Played for both clubs Darren Anderton, Peter Crouch
Perfect pair
When Harry Kane and Son Heung-min scored for Tottenham against Crystal Palace in midweek they became the first pair to have scored together in 34 top-flight games since West Ham’s Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters reached that mark in 1969. Kane and Son overtook Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané, who scored together 33 times.
Blackpool (tier 2, 22nd) v Nottingham Forest (tier 1, 15th)
Forest 27 places higher
Kick-off Saturday, 3pm
Radio talkSPORT 2, BBC 5 Live
Referee J Linington
Most advanced round met in FA Cup none
Played for both clubs David Vaughan, Marlon Harewood
League of their own
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This is the pair of clubs with the most league meetings (84) without ever having played each other – before here – in a cup game (play-offs are counted as neither league nor cup matches here).
Bournemouth (tier 1, 16th) v Burnley (tier 2, 1st)
Bournemouth 5 places higher
Kick-off Saturday, 3pm
Referee T Robinson
Most advanced round met in FA Cup 5th round in 2020-21 (Burnley 0, Bournemouth 2)
Played for both clubs Wade Elliott, Kevin Reeves
Stat In their only previous third-round meeting, in 1965-66, Andy Lochhead scored five goals in the first hour of Burnley’s 7-0 win in a replay.
Hull City (tier 2, 16th) v Fulham (tier 1, 7th)
Fulham 29 places higher
Kick-off Saturday, 3pm
Referee J Smith
Most advanced round met in FA Cup 4th round in 2016-17 (Fulham 4, Hull 1)
Played for both clubs Alan Warboys, Sone Aluko
Stat When Fulham last faced Hull in the third round in 1975 they went on to reach their only FA Cup final, where they lost to West Ham.
Middlesbrough (tier 2, 5th) v Brighton & Hove Albion (tier 1, 8th)
Brighton 17 places higher
Kick-off Saturday, 3pm
Radio BBC 5 Live Sports Extra
Referee S Hooper
Most advanced round met in FA Cup 4th round (equivalent) in 1905-06 (Middlesbrough 3, Brighton 1, 2nd replay, Bramall Lane) and in 2017-18 (Middlesbrough 0, Brighton 1) Played for both clubs Ian Baird, Ben Roberts
Stat: As last year, Middlesbrough play in the third round having been lifted at least seven league places by a manager appointed two months earlier (Michael Carrick has followed Chris Wilder).
Brentford (tier 1, 9th) v West Ham United (tier 1, 17th)
Brentford 8 places higher
Kick-off Saturday, 5.30pm
Radio talkSPORT 2
Referee A Marriner
Most advanced round met in FA Cup 4th round in 1926-27 (Brentford 2, West Ham 0, replay)
Played for both clubs Winston Reid, Harry Redknapp
Stat Brentford are on course to finish above West Ham in the league for the first time since 1952
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Sheffield Wednesday (tier 3, 2nd) v Newcastle United (tier 1, 3rd)
Newcastle 43 places higher
Kick-off Saturday, 6pm
TV Live, BBC One
Radio BBC 5 Live
Referee M Salisbury
Most advanced round met in FA Cup semi-final in 1904-05 (Newcastle 1, Sheff Wed 0)
Played for both clubs Imre Varadi, Chris Waddle
Stat In their past 18 meetings neither team have scored more than twice – aside from Newcastle’s 8-0 home win in 1999.
Liverpool (tier 1, 6th) v Wolverhampton Wanderers (tier 1, 19th)
Liverpool 13 places higher
Kick-off Saturday, 8pm
TV Live, ITV4
Radio talkSPORT, BBC 5 Live
Referee A Madley
Most advanced round met in FA Cup 5th round in 1938-39 (Wolves 4, Liverpool 1) and 1948-49 (Wolves 3, Liverpool 1)
Played for both clubs Emlyn Hughes, Paul Ince
Stat Four of Jürgen Klopp’s six FA Cup defeats as Liverpool manager have come against Ws: Wolves twice, West Brom and West Ham.
Cardiff City (tier 2, 20th) v Leeds United (tier 1, 14th)
Leeds 26 places higher
Kick-off Sunday, 2pm
TV Live, ITV1
Radio talkSPORT, BBC 5 Live
Referee J Gillett
Most advanced round met in FA Cup 5th round in 1949-50 (Leeds 3, Cardiff 1) and 1971-72 (Cardiff 0, Leeds 2)
Played for both clubs John Charles, Brian Flynn
Stat This is Cardiff’s seventh FA Cup third-round meeting with Leeds since World War Two – three more than against any other club (four against Arsenal); three of those came in consecutive seasons in the 1950s – and each time the result was Leeds 1, Cardiff 2.
Manchester City (tier 1, 2nd) v Chelsea (tier 1, 10th)
Man City 8 places higher
Kick-off Sunday, 4.30pm
TV Live, BBC One
Radio talkSPORT, BBC 5 Live
Referee R Jones
Most advanced round met in FA Cup semi-final in 2012-13 (Man City 2, Chelsea 1) and 2020-21 (Chelsea 1, Man City 0)
Played for both clubs Shaun Wright-Phillips, Nicolas Anelka
Champion task
Chelsea will have started both their League Cup and FA Cup campaigns this season against the reigning league champions. The only other team to have done so before this term were Chelsea themselves when they faced Liverpool twice in 1977-78. To make their task harder this season, Chelsea have been drawn away in both fixtures against City.
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Aston Villa (tier 1, 11th) v Stevenage (tier 2, 2nd)
Villa 59 places higher
Kick-off Sunday, 4.30pm
TV Live, BBC red button/iPlayer
Radio BBC 5 Live Sports Extra
Referee G Scott
Most advanced round met in FA Cup none
Played for both clubs Kevin Toner
Stat Of the 19 ties featuring clubs from different divisions, only four have the higher-ranked team at home, including this one. Stevenage have not finished above tenth position in League Two in the past seven years but they now sit second.
Oxford (tier 3, 14th) v Arsenal (tier 1, 1st)
Arsenal 57 places higher
Kick-off Monday, 8pm
TV Live, ITV1
Radio talkSPORT, BBC 5 Live
Referee D Coote
Most advanced round met in FA Cup 3rd round in 1962-63 (Arsenal 5, Oxford 1) and 2002-03 (Arsenal 2, Oxford 0)
Played for both clubs Tommy Caton, Andy Linighan
Stat Arsenal have played away to Oxford four times and never won – they have drawn two and lost two.
And the rest. . .
Forest Green Rovers (tier 3, 24th) v Birmingham City (tier 2, 17th)
Birmingham 41 places higher
Kick-off Saturday, 12.30pm
Referee S Allison
Most advanced round met in FA Cup none
Played for both clubs Darren Carter, Dennis Bailey
Stat The Premier League and League One have had a Forest bottom this season: Nottingham Forest (Premier League) in the autumn and Forest Green (League One) now.
Preston North End (tier 2, 10th) v Huddersfield Town (tier 2, 23rd)
Preston 13 places higher
Kick-off Saturday, 12.30pm
Referee A Backhouse
Most advanced round met in FA Cup final in 1921-22 (Huddersfield 1, Preston 0) and 1937-38 (Preston 1, Huddersfield 0)
Played for both clubs Sam Allardyce, Ronnie Jepson
Saving it for the big stage
This is one of two pairs (also Man Utd and Crystal Palace) with as many FA Cup meetings in finals as other rounds (two each in both cases). Huddersfield beat Preston 1-0 in the 1922 final via a penalty, and 16 years later the reverse happened, with Preston winning 1-0 through a spot-kick.
Reading (tier 2, 13th) v Watford (tier 2, 4th)
Watford 9 places higher
Kick-off Saturday, 12.30pm
Referee P Bankes
Most advanced round met in FA Cup 3rd round in 1970-71 (Watford 5, Reading 0)
Played for both clubs Trevor Senior, Lee Nogan
Stat Watford, fourth in the table, have changed division in three consecutive years; Reading, in mid-table, have not moved for nine seasons.
Fleetwood Town (tier 3, 13th) v Queens Park Rangers (tier 2 12th)
QPR 25 places higher
Kick-off Saturday, 3pm
Referee S Martin
Most advanced round met in FA Cup none
Played for both clubs Jimmy Dunne, Georges Santos
Stat QPR head coach Neil Critichley managed Blackpool in four games against neighbours Fleetwood – three finished 0-0. QPR play here at Fleetwood’s Highbury Stadium; their last two European home games featured four-goal wins at another Highbury (Arsenal’s old ground) in 1984 when their own artificial pitch was banned.
Ipswich Town (tier 3, 3rd) v Rotherham United (tier 2, 21st)
Rotherham 6 places higher
Kick-off Saturday, 3pm
Referee S Stockbridge
Most advanced round met in FA Cup none
Played for both clubs Alan Lee, Brian Gayle
Stat Ipswich have lost their past nine third-round ties yet they won 16 in a row from 1971 to 1986.
Millwall (tier 2, 6th) v Sheffield United (tier 2, 2nd)
Sheff Utd 4 places higher
Kick-off Saturday, 3pm
Referee J Brooks
Most advanced round met in FA Cup 5th round equivalent in 1913-14 (Millwall 0, Sheff Utd 4)
Played for both clubs Paul Ifill, Carl Asaba
Stat Sheffield United’s past three semi-final appearances – and all of Millwall’s five such appearances – have come when outside the top flight.
Shrewsbury Town (tier 3, 16th) v Sunderland (tier 2, 8th)
Sunderland 16 places higher
Kick-off Saturday, 3pm
Referee S Oldham
Most advanced round met in FA Cup none
Played for both clubs Liam Lawrence, Jim Holton
Stat Shrewsbury have had a player sent off in each of their past three games.
Grimsby Town (tier 4, 16th) v Burton Albion (tier 3, 21st)
Burton 19 places higher
Kick-off Saturday, 5.30pm
Referee C Breakspear
Most advanced round met in FA Cup none
Played for both clubs Daryl Clare, Paul Groves
Stat Burton suffered their biggest defeat for five seasons in their last match, a 5-0 loss away to Morecambe on New Year’s Day.
Luton Town (tier 2, 7th) v Wigan Athletic (tier 2, 24th)
Luton 17 places higher
Kick-off Saturday, 5.30pm
Referee D Webb
Most advanced round met in FA Cup 2nd round in 2002-03 (Wigan 3, Luton 0)
Played for both clubs Mike Newell, Emmerson Boyce
Stat Wigan are bottom of the Championship and Luton have the division’s smallest average home attendance.
Bristol City (tier 2, 19th) v Swansea City (tier 2, 15th)
Swansea 4 places higher
Kick-off Sunday, 12.30pm
Referee C Pawson
Most advanced round met in FA Cup 3rd round in 1945-46 (1st leg: Bristol City 5, Swansea 1; 2nd leg: Swansea 2, Bristol City 2)
Played for both clubs Tammy Abraham, Lee Trundle
Stat Bristol City have reached the quarter-finals only once since 1920, despite entering at the third round (or equivalent) 44 times in that period.
Derby County (tier 3, 4th) v Barnsley (tier 3, 6th)
Derby 2 places higher
Kick-off Sunday, 12.30pm
Radio BBC 5 Live Sports Extra
Referee S Gill
Most advanced round met in FA Cup none
Played for both clubs Paul Futcher, Ashley Ward
Stat These are among the seven present league clubs who won the FA Cup once before 1950 but have yet to lift it again (Barnsley 1912, Derby 1946).
Hartlepool United (tier 4, 22nd) v Stoke City (tier 2, 18th)
Stoke 52 places higher
Kick-off Sunday, 2pm
Referee B Toner
Most advanced round met in FA Cup 3rd round in 1953-54 (Stoke 6, Hartlepool 2) and 2008-09 (Hartlepool 2, Stoke 0)
Played for both clubs Barry Siddall, Mark Prudhoe
Tiers of a manager
Stoke, the club who played at the Victoria Ground for 119 years, visit Victoria Park. Hartlepool’s Keith Curle has managed eight league clubs, none of them above the third tier.
Norwich City (tier 2, 11th) v Blackburn Rovers (tier 2, 3rd)
Blackburn 8 places higher
Kick-off Sunday, 2pm
Referee G Ward
Most advanced round met in FA Cup 5th round in 1965-66 (Blackburn 3, Norwich 2, replay)
Played for both clubs Craig Bellamy, Chris Sutton
Stat Two of Blackburn’s past three away games will have been at Carrow Road, but against different Norwich managers: Dean Smith last month and David Wagner, his replacement, here.
Stockport County (tier 4, 13th) v Walsall (tier 4, 9th)
Walsall 4 places higher
Kick-off Sunday, 2pm
Referee A Kitchen
Most advanced round met in FA Cup 2nd round equivalent in 1905-06 (Stockport 5, Walsall 0, replay)
Played for both clubs Brett Angell, Tony Barras
Stat Walsall’s Michael Flynn has had five FA Cup campaigns as a manager (the other four with Newport), all in the fourth tier, and reached at least the third round each time
