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In less than a week’s time on Tuesday, 27th October 2026 at 2000 hrs, a new chapter will be written in The Town’s history book. For the first time in our history, we will playing the Arsenal and not only that, we are playing them at a time when they are Champions of England and last season were the second best team in the whole of Europe.
A chance of an upset
This is the most momentous game in our history and Highbury Stadium will be packed to its full 5,327 giving us a half decent chance of beating, what will undoubtedly be an Gunners team that is barely recognisable from the team that took the field against Bayern Munich in the Champions League. Their players will not be used to coming to a ground like ours and will not relish the prospect of playing with a bitterly cold wind howling in off the Irish Sea.
A first time for everything
Since we were founded back in 1908 until our eventual promotion to the EFL in 2012, our chances of playing them in the FA Cup were limited and even after our entry to the League and the additional possibility of a League Cup tie, the two teams have never been drawn together. So unlike any previous match preview that I have ever written there are no match stats to fall back on and no precedents to review.
Two strange connections!
That is not to say that there is nothing to connect the two clubs, slightly spurious though there connections are!! The eagle eyed readers who are not regular Town fans, plus all those that are will have noticed above that up until their move to the Emirates in 2006, our grounds shared the same name. Secondly there’s the kit! Our first team kit and theirs are the same and whilst they may be the team that comes to most people’s minds when they see a red shirts with white sleeves, it’s still a collection.
Any chance at for The Town
Well it’s 11 v 11 on the night and we will be facing an understrength Arsenal team (although I wouldn’t call the starting line up against Port Vale last season exactly weak), so there’s a chance in 90 minutes that they are just not up for it. Alternatively, we can put 10 men behind the ball and play for penalties. It would be a risky plan given the firepower that they may have on the bench, but if we get to the lottery, you never know! Do I think that we will make into the next round? No! Do I think that there is an outside possibility that we can? Most definitely, yes!!!