FA Vase final hopes to stay at Wembley

Mon 6th Sep 2010 | Football Stadiums & Facilities

STL Northern League chairman Mike Amos is hoping that the FA will withstand cost pressures and keep the FA Vase Final at Wembley.

There is speculation that in order to reduce costs, the FA might move the final away from the new Wembley Stadium and play it elsewhere, or even switch it to the same day as the FA Trophy final according to Non-League Daily

The attendance for Whitley Bay’s second Wembley final in May against Wroxham was just under 9,000, with probably around 60 per cent of those from the north east. There were 12,000 inside the ground last season for Whitley’s win over Glossop North End.

“The FA has been fantastic in trying to stage the Vase and Trophy finals at Wembley,” said Amos. “It's an expensive exercise but one that's greatly appreciated. No offence to other big grounds, but there's simply no place like Wembley. The Vase is different from all the others - a real, vibrant celebration of grassroots and we greatly hope that the final can continue to be at Wembley. For several reasons, however, I greatly doubt that they could play both games on the same day. No doubt the FA will have a lot of thinking to do.”

Whitley boss Ian Chandler is in no doubt that the final should stay at Wembley. “I think it would be a real blow if it was moved away because the Wembley factor makes the competition,” he said.

“I think the FA should subsidise the competition, £5,000 a team would be more than adequate, plus they’d probably gain from the positive publicity.”

A decision on the venue for next year’s final is expected to be discussed by the FA’s Vase committee in September, but they might be influenced by any decision to move by the FA Trophy committee.

Meanwhile, Whitley’s second successive Vase win, along with two other clubs in the quarter finals, has put the Northern League at the top of all the leagues at their level in the country.

“I don't think there's much doubt that the Northern League is the strongest nationally at Step 5,” said Amos. “And that's now widely accepted wherever I travel. Clearly one of the reasons is that other leagues have suffered much more from upward migration - again underlining our relative geographical isolation and the financial risk involved.

“There's also no doubt, however, that we have some outstanding teams and some great players. I hope that it can only be a matter of time, and a bit more luck of the draw, before we have an all-Northern League final at Wembley for the first time since Bishops v Crook in 1954. That really would be a dream come true.

“I also frequently hear folk in other parts of the country talk of the Northern League's enviable administrative excellence. In his welcome speech at the Vase lunch, FA vice-chairman Barry Bright talked of the league's "superb" management committee which was hugely heartening. It may not agree with some of the empty and ill-informed contributors to various websites, but I know whose opinion I more greatly respect.”

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STL Northern League chairman Mike Amos is hoping that the FA will withstand cost pressures and keep the FA Vase Final at Wembley.

There is speculation that in order to reduce costs, the FA might move the final away from the new Wembley Stadium and play it elsewhere, or even switch it to the same day as the FA Trophy final according to Non-League Daily

The attendance for Whitley Bay’s second Wembley final in May against Wroxham was just under 9,000, with probably around 60 per cent of those from the north east. There were 12,000 inside the ground last season for Whitley’s win over Glossop North End.

“The FA has been fantastic in trying to stage the Vase and Trophy finals at Wembley,” said Amos. “It's an expensive exercise but one that's greatly appreciated. No offence to other big grounds, but there's simply no place like Wembley. The Vase is different from all the others - a real, vibrant celebration of grassroots and we greatly hope that the final can continue to be at Wembley. For several reasons, however, I greatly doubt that they could play both games on the same day. No doubt the FA will have a lot of thinking to do.”

Whitley boss Ian Chandler is in no doubt that the final should stay at Wembley. “I think it would be a real blow if it was moved away because the Wembley factor makes the competition,” he said.

“I think the FA should subsidise the competition, £5,000 a team would be more than adequate, plus they’d probably gain from the positive publicity.”

A decision on the venue for next year’s final is expected to be discussed by the FA’s Vase committee in September, but they might be influenced by any decision to move by the FA Trophy committee.

Meanwhile, Whitley’s second successive Vase win, along with two other clubs in the quarter finals, has put the Northern League at the top of all the leagues at their level in the country.

“I don't think there's much doubt that the Northern League is the strongest nationally at Step 5,” said Amos. “And that's now widely accepted wherever I travel. Clearly one of the reasons is that other leagues have suffered much more from upward migration - again underlining our relative geographical isolation and the financial risk involved.

“There's also no doubt, however, that we have some outstanding teams and some great players. I hope that it can only be a matter of time, and a bit more luck of the draw, before we have an all-Northern League final at Wembley for the first time since Bishops v Crook in 1954. That really would be a dream come true.

“I also frequently hear folk in other parts of the country talk of the Northern League's enviable administrative excellence. In his welcome speech at the Vase lunch, FA vice-chairman Barry Bright talked of the league's "superb" management committee which was hugely heartening. It may not agree with some of the empty and ill-informed contributors to various websites, but I know whose opinion I more greatly respect.”

• SUBSCRIBE TO F.C. BUSINESS MAGAZINE

• SUBSCRIBE TO THE F.C. BUSINESS RSS FEED
• BECOME A FAN OF F.C. BUSINESS ON FACEBOOK
• FOLLOW OUR TWEETS ON TWITTER
• LINKED IN TO FOOTBALL INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS

If you have any football business related news stories you’d like to share then please contact us – agourley@fcbusiness.co.uk or ryan@fcbusiness.co.uk

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