Did He Really Mean It?

Not enough people are getting excited enough about this Cup run for my liking. I want pictures of happy non-league fans with two thumbs aloft, wearing stupid hats and grinning inanely, dreaming of a replay at Aldershot. I want local news reports of crazed fans besieging Dulwich Hamlet ticket office. I want shots of people who were previously unaware that there was even a Second Qualifying Round, or a club at the end of their street, to stop me in the street and ask me about the game, or talk about Martinigate.

Instead all I have are two copies of the Non-League Paper on my bedroom floor and a strange excited feeling in my own stomach, a feeling that either means that I’ve fallen head-over-heels in love with Gordon Brown or that I’ve got far too excited, far too early, about this competition.

I’m looking forward to Dulwich vs Chalfont St Peter on Saturday. A slight change in crew due to Brooner having planned to abseil from London landmarks in the name of ‘fun’ should hopefully not alter the fun aspect of the trip - and at the very least we can see if the ginger girl from the Vale is working again, so it won’t be a totally lost cause. Oh, the fragile male psyche. I shall lust after you from afar, and do nothing about it due to my own fear of rejection and inability to think of a chat-up line anymore effective than ‘Hi, pint of Strongbow please’. Oh well.

Chalfont won 4-3 in the FA Vase last weekend, while Dulwich succumbed to a one-nil home defeat to used-to-be-famous table-toppers Kingstonian. So, on the face of it, Chalfont have the cup bug, going great guns in two competitions, and Dulwich are struggling through the season, seemingly trying their hardest to not collapse entirely rather than setting the world alight.

I have a feeling that Saturday could be another close game. And you know what? I’d like that. I’ve got the replay bug now. Waiting for the draw on Monday lunchtime has more fun about it when you do’t have a clue what team you’ll be watching and where. I like the idea of ‘Dulwich meet Chalfont on Tuesday for the chance to play…(insert plucky Kent league team you’ve never heard of and will never hear of again…)’

We’ll see. All I can say is that, with less than one week to go, I’m already getting excited. Bring it on.