Non-League side South Shields, managed by Sunderland legend Kevin Phillips, have been drawn at home to Forest Green in the FA Cup first round.
The club, based in Tyne & Wear, will welcome Ian Burchnall’s Rovers, of Sky Bet League One, to the First Cloud Arena during the weekend of November 4-7.
Speaking to Sky Sports News after the draw was made on Monday night, Phillips said: “I’m absolutely delighted with the draw, and that we’ve got one at home.
“We all agreed that if we got an away tie, we’d have loved Derby, Sheffield Wednesday, Ipswich or Portsmouth – a huge club. But no disrespect to Forest Green, they are going to be a tough opposition for us at home.
“But our home form since I’ve been at the football club has been excellent. I think we’ve only been beaten there once, so it’s a bit of a fortress.
“It will be a tough day for us, but we will believe we can get a result. It’s a day the club deserves. They got into the first round a couple of years ago, but unfortunately it was during Covid where there were no fans allowed. This time the supporters can enjoy the occasion.
“We had a great day on Saturday [against Scunthorpe in the fourth qualifying round], with 2,500 there, so I’m expecting probably even more fans in for the Forest Green game.
“We fancy our chances against anybody at our place. It’s an intimidating place to come, it’s very noisy, the crowd is right on top of you. What we can’t afford to do is let them settle into the game and play their football. They are, technically, a very, very good side.
“It will be a bumper crowd and, if we’re lucky enough to be drawn as the TV game, which would be fantastic and great exposure for the football club.”
Elsewhere, Bracknell Town of the Southern League Premier Division South will host Ipswich at Bottom Meadow, while fellow League One promotion-chasers Portsmouth will take on National League North Hereford.
Alvechurch – the lowest-ranked side remaining in the competition and taking part in the first round for the first time in 49 years – will face Cheltenham at the Completely-Suzuki Stadium.
The winners of this season’s first-round fixtures will pocket £41,000.
FA Cup first round proper draw in full
South Shields vs Forest Green Rovers
Bolton vs Barnsley
Boreham Wood vs Eastleigh
Curzon Ashton vs Cambridge United
Maidenhead United vs Dagenham & Redbridge
Crawley vs Accrington
Solihull Moors vs Hartlepool
Kidderminster or Fylde vs Gillingham
Peterborough vs Salford
Sutton United vs Farnborough
Grimsby vs Plymouth
MK Dons vs Yeovil or Taunton
Ebbsfleet vs Halifax
Carlisle vs Tranmere
Bracknell Town vs Ipswich
Hendon or Chippenham vs Lincoln
Sheffield Wednesday vs Morecambe
Hereford vs Portsmouth
Shrewsbury vs York City
Buxton vs Merthyr Town
Charlton vs Coalville Town
Weymouth vs AFC Wimbledon
Newport vs Colchester
Stockport vs Swindon
Doncaster vs King’s Lynn
Altrincham or Gateshead vs Stevenage
Fleetwood vs Oxford City
Burton vs Needham Market
Bradford City vs Harrogate
Port Vale vs Exeter
Torquay or Hampton & Richmond vs Derby
Bristol Rovers vs Rochdale
Wycombe vs Walsall
Blyth Spartans or Wrexham vs Oldham or Chester
Crewe vs Leyton Orient
Barnet vs Chelmsford
Woking vs Oxford United
Chesterfield vs Northampton
Cheltenham vs Alvechurch
Barrow vs Mansfield
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