By Rob Cole

Regardless of where you place it in the pecking order of professional footballing priorities, there is still a touch of magic about the FA Cup.

There is also some significant cash attached to what the FA describe as “the best loved and most watched domestic cup competition on earth.” It is a far cry from when the tournament was set up in the 19th century

There were only a dozen clubs involved in the first tournament, playing 13 matches in all. The first round took place on 11 November, 1871, with the inaugural final, between the Royal Engineers and Wanderers FC, taking place at Kennington Oval on 16 March, 1872.

This weekend’s winners will bank a cheque worth £25,000, while this season’s winners will accumulate £6,795,500, the runners-up £4,995,500 and the losing semi-finalists £2,295,500.

The National League clubs enter the equation this weekend at the 4th Qualifying Round stage, with a place in the 1st Round Proper, and the chance to face a Football League team, the main prize. Wrexham will be flying the Welsh flag before Newport County, one of last season’s giant-killers with their victory over Leeds United, join the fray in the next round.

But while Wrexham, who travel to National League rival Harrogate Town on Saturday, where they drew 0-0 on 25 September in a league outing, will be dreaming of an extended run, they are not the only Welsh link to the weekend.

Here are a few players who will be dreaming of Wembley and a taking a shot at the professionals in the next few rounds.

Chippenham Town v Maidenhead Town
Cardiff-born international striker Nathaniel Jarvis will be hoping to keep up his goalscoring record for the home side having scored in each of the last two rounds for his new club. The Antigua & Barbuda cap joined Chippenham this season having previously played for Hungerford Town, Brackley Town, Cardiff City, Southend United, Forest Green Rovers and Bath City.

The National League South side beat Hendon 4-1 in the 3rd Qualifying Round, with Jarvis netting once, and he scored the winning goal in a 2nd Qualifying Round replay at Swindon Supermarine after a 2-2 home draw in the first game.

Dunston UTS v Gateshead

The BBC cameras will be at Dunston UTS for a 12.30pm kick-off and leading out Gateshead will be 29-year-old Swansea-born full back Scott Barrow. He joined the North-East side from Merthyr in 2017 and has led them to seventh place in National League so far this season.

He notched more than a century of Welsh League appearances for Port Talbot Town before doing the same at National League North outfit, Tamworth FC. He then spent a season at Macclesfield before playing 34 games for Newport County in League Two.

Weston-Super-Mare v Bath City

There are strong Welsh links with Weston, with Pontypridd-born striker Jamie Lucas looking forward to facing one of his former clubs. The 22-year-old has already made his mark on the FA Cup this season by helping the National League South side get through a tricky 2nd Qualifying Round against Salisbury FC.

When the home goalkeeper Luke Purnell was sent-off, Lucas went in goal. Later on in the game he came out to score a vital penalty in the 2-2 draw that set-up a replay, which they won 3-2 in extra-time.

Joining Lucas in the Weston side are two other Welshman, Eli Phipps and Jarrad Welch, who both learned their football at Cardiff City. Phipps was the star in the last round when he came on as a90th minute replacement for Welch and fired home the matchwinner against Coggeshall with his first touch to make it 1-0.

Having progressed through the U18 and U23 ranks at Cardiff City, the 21-year-old striker went out on loan at Gloucester City before joining Colchester United. He was released after two years and signed for Weston.

Welch also came through the Cardiff City academy system, spending two seasons in the Under 18 side, before going on loan at Cinderford Town in the Southern Premier. When he was released by Cardiff he joined Weston.

Playing against the Welsh trio for Bath City will be ex-Swansea City defender Kevin Amankwaah.

SO WHO WAS THE FIRST WELSH FA CUP WINNER?
You have to wait for the third FA Cup final between Oxford University and the Royal Engineers on 14 March, 1874, to find the first Welsh-born winner on an FA Cup winners’ medal. Frederick Thomas Green was born in Wrexham on 21 June, 1851, and was sent to Winchester College and then New College, Oxford.
He was described as a half-back of great consistency who went on to win three FA Cups. After his Oxford triumph he then helped the Royal Engineers triumph in 1877 and 1878. He also played for London, Middlesex and England, his one international cap coming in the game against Scotland in 1876.
Joining him in the successful Wanderers team in 1876 was John Hawley Edwards, who was born in Shrewsbury and died in Old Colwyn. He played for England against Scotland in 1874, when there was no Welsh national team, and then for Wales in its first international against Scotland in 1876.