Biggleswade in 'dreamland' with York FA Cup tie

For a town which has a population of about 23,000, Biggleswade had not one, not two, but three football teams in this year's FA Cup.

And the newest among them are preparing for the biggest game in their short history when they take on York City in the final qualifying round.

Biggleswade FC were only formed eight years ago and do not have a ground of their own, so it is no surprise co-manager Dave Northfield views Saturday's tie as "massive" for the club.

"It couldn't have been any better - we wanted York, we got York," he told the BBC's Non-League Show.

"It's dreamland really. To get this is phenomenal for all the boys, everyone to do with the club. There aren't enough words to describe it. It's just amazing for us."

Biggleswade have come through five matches for the chance to take on York, whose FA Cup pedigree includes a run all the way to the semi-finals in 1955.

Incredibly, eighth-tier Biggleswade saw off Canvey Island 1-0 in the previous round despite finishing the game with only nine men on the pitch after Michael Fisher and Charlie Hayford had been sent off.

"I got through it by praying," said Northfield.

"For 20 minutes we weren't very good, we struggled to get a foothold, and weirdly enough, the sending-off (of Fisher) got us playing how I wanted us to play.

"We stayed positive, got on the front foot, created one or two openings and then scored our goal from a great header from Lawrie Marsh late in the half.

"Second half, I felt we were matching a lot of what they did although obviously we had to defend an awful lot of balls into our box. You just block up holes, block up the angles and keep it in front of you.

"George Rose in goal made two or three unreal saves, one with his feet. Charlie Hayford, the second player to be sent off, cleared one off the line. Last five minutes we went to a 4-4-0 and it's just a big rearguard action."

Fisher will miss the game against York after his red-card appeal was turned down, but Hayford can play as he only received a one-match ban for two yellows against Canvey Island.

Biggleswade play in Southern League Division One Central and will be firm underdogs against a York side, managed by Adam Hinshelwood, from three tiers higher and sitting third in the National League.

But Biggleswade are currently groundsharing at The Eyrie with host club Bedford Town and so the Minstermen will also have to contend with a 3G artificial pitch.

Their record crowd for a 'home' game is 670 but, with 650 tickets already sold, Biggleswade expect to beat that mark and be close to 1,000 by kick-off.

If they manage to pull off an upset, they would match the achievement of Biggleswade Town, who reached the first round proper in 2014, but were beaten 6-0 by Alfreton in a replay on Tuesday in this year's competition.

So, how does a town of such a modest size come to have three teams?

Biggleswade Town - formed in 1974 - are currently a level higher than Biggleswade FC.

Meanwhile, Biggleswade United - established in 1959 and whose chairman is TV pundit Guillem Balague - play in tier nine and departed this season's FA Cup at the preliminary round stage, losing to Enfield.

"We started off originally as Biggleswade Town's youth side," Northfield told BBC Radio York.

"We had one notable lad come through, Keinan Davis, who was signed by Aston Villa and I think is now with Udinese," Northfield told BBC Radio York.

"We played in the Eastern Counties under-18 league and won the championship two years running. We didn't want the team to break up but at the time Biggleswade Town weren't interested in a reserve side."

They applied to join the 10th tier as a separate entity and were approved following an appeal against an original rejection and two promotions followed, the second as part of a seasonal treble.

"The first couple of years in step four (eighth tier) were the Covid years, and we've just grown from there - we've come runners-up in the league and lost in the play-offs and we're having a good season (now)," said Northfield.

The club used to groundshare with Biggleswade Town before moving on to Barton Rovers and now Bedford.

But Northfield told BBC Sport: "Most of our fan base is from Biggleswade. A few Bedford fans come to watch when they haven't got a game but predominantly we are Biggleswade people."

The chances of a home of their own in the town from which they take their name is, according to Northfield, "not even close" at the moment.

He added: "For seven years we've been in dialogue with the local council. There is a huge piece of land in Biggleswade, 17 acres, which is flood plain, but you can have a sports facility on it. We're just trying to see if we can get a piece of that."

Biggleswade believe their earnings from cup games this season could be worth about £18,000 - a huge amount at their current state of development.

So, just a few days before the game, how does Northfield feel about it now?

"If Colchester were drawn against Manchester City in the FA Cup, they'd be in the same boat as us," he said.

"We've only a small percentage chance of winning, but..."