Stockport Georgians set for first-ever FA Cup tie after 118-year wait

Stockport Georgians will play in the FA Cup for the very first time this coming season, 118 years after the club was originally formed, according to The Non-League Football Paper.

The former Manchester League side have enjoyed a steady rise through the non-league pyramid in recent seasons, a journey that reached a new peak last term when they won promotion via the play-offs in the North West Counties League Division One South.

Dramatic play-off final win

Georgians’ route to Step 5 football was anything but straightforward. In a tense play-off final against Eccleshall, they were forced to find a stoppage-time equaliser before the tie was eventually settled on penalties, with the Stockport side prevailing 5-4 in the shoot-out.

That promotion has now paved the way for the club to enter the FA Cup for the first time in its history, joining one of 743 clubs across England set to take part in this season’s competition.

A long time coming

For a club formed some 118 years ago, the wait to sample FA Cup football has been a long one, and it comes after years of gradual progress up the non-league ladder. Stockport Georgians’ elevation to Step 5 status means they now meet the entry criteria for football’s oldest cup competition, alongside hundreds of other clubs from across the pyramid.

The Non-League Football Paper reports that clubs across the country are now awaiting the early round draws for the FA Cup, along with the Isuzu FA Trophy and Isuzu FA Vase, as another season of the road to Wembley gets under way.

Read more: 1874 Northwich land promotion hero Harry Lynn from Stockport Georgians