Eighth-Tier Hednesford Town Are The Lowest-Ranked Side In Tonight’s FA Cup First Round Draw

Eighth-tier Hednesford Town are the lowest-ranked side entering tonight’s FA Cup First Round draw – and could face several former Premier League outfits if they win tomorrow’s replay.

This evening sees the draw take place for the FA Cup First Round proper. Eighty balls will go into the draw, which includes teams up to EFL League One.

But while there are plenty of non-league sides still in the competition, none are as lowly ranked as Hednesford Town.

Based in Staffordshire, ‘The Pitmen’ are currently 17th in the Northern Premier League Division One West.

To those unfamiliar with the lower divisions of English football, that puts Hednesford in the overall eighth tier, or step four of non-league.

They will enter the draw as ball number 61, though are not guaranteed a place in the first round.

Standing between them and a potential trip to League One opposition are Gateshead.

The National League outfit drew 1-1 at Hednesford on 12 October, and will hope to avoid an upset in tomorrow night’s replay in the North East.

Gateshead are currently fourth in the National League, and are aiming for promotion to the Football League for the first time in their history.

But for Hednesford, the chance to make their own history awaits.

Should they win tomorrow’s replay, there are some huge clubs waiting for them in the draw.

Former Premier League outfits Birmingham City, Bolton Wanderers, Charlton Athletic, Reading and Wigan are among the possible destinations.

But while they are huge underdogs to beat a side three leagues above in Gateshead, Hednesford will hope the magic of the FA Cup is still alive.

Every Team In The FA Cup First Round Draw

Kicking off from 7pm tonight, the teams and ball numbers in this year’s FA Cup First Round draw are as follows:

1. Accrington Stanley
2. AFC Wimbledon
3. Barnsley
4. Barrow
5. Birmingham City
6. Blackpool
7. Bolton Wanderers
8. Bradford City
9. Bristol Rovers
10. Bromley
11. Burton Albion
12. Cambridge United
13. Carlisle United
14. Charlton Athletic
15. Cheltenham Town
16. Chesterfield
17. Colchester United
18. Crawley Town
19. Crewe Alexandra
20. Doncaster Rovers
21. Exeter City
22. Fleetwood Town
23. Gillingham
24. Grimsby Town
25. Harrogate Town
26. Huddersfield Town
27. Leyton Orient
28. Lincoln City
29. Mansfield Town
30. Milton Keynes Dons
31. Morecambe
32. Newport County
33. Northampton Town
34. Notts County
35. Peterborough United
36. Port Vale
37. Reading
38. Rotherham United
39. Salford City
40. Shrewsbury Town
41. Stevenage
42. Stockport County
43. Swindon Town
44. Tranmere Rovers
45. Walsall
46. Wigan Athletic
47. Wrexham
48. Wycombe Wanderers
49. Rushall Olympic or Peterborough Sports
50. Tamworth
51. Oldham Athletic
52. Hartlepool United or Brackley Town
53. Kettering Town
54. Altrincham or Solihull Moors
55. Rochdale
56. Scarborough Athletic
57. York City
58. Harborough Town
59. Curzon Ashton
60. Gainsborough Trinity or Boston United
61. Hednesford Town or Gateshead
62. Alfreton Town
63. Guiseley
64. Taunton Town or Maidenhead United
65. Horsham
66. Aldershot Town
67. Southend United
68. Sutton United
69. Boreham Wood
70. Weston Super Mare
71. Wealdstone
72. Dagenham & Redbridge
73. Barnet
74. Chesham United
75. Tonbridge Angels
76. Woking
77. Forest Green Rovers
78. Maidstone United
79. Worthing
80. Braintree Town