FA Vase last eight countdown: Steelmen ready for final push for glory!

There can’t have been many more emotional chairmen in the FA Vase over the last couple of weeks than Consett‘s Frank Bell.
As reported in The Non-League Paper this week, Bell was visibly moved watching the Steelmen reach the last eight of the competition for the first time in their history after seeing off Deal Town in the last round.
The Northern League has a rich recent history in the FA Vase with the likes of South Shields, Morpeth Town, North Shields, Whitley Bay, Spennymoor Town and Dusnton all experiencing Wembley glory. in the last decade
But prior to this season, a run to the fifth round in 2008 was the closest that Consett have got to securing a day out at the home of football.

All that changed earlier this month when Luke Carr and Arjun Purewal scored against Deal to help Terry Mitchell’s side set up Saturday’s trip to Atherstone Town.
And chairman Bell believes the Steelmen will take a large travelling support from County Durham to Sheepy Road as his club look to extend their historic run to at least another round.
“From our side, clearly we would have loved to have been at home,” he told The NLP.  “I think any club in the last eight would have wanted that.
“They are all good sides in the last eight, so it was always going to be tough, no matter who we were drawn against.
“It’s amazing to think how far we have come in the competition and I am very confident that we have a large and very vocal travelling support going down there with us to hopefully see the lads get another win.”
Make sure you get your copy of The Non-League Paper on Sunday for the latest news and action from across Non-League over the last seven days, including exclusive pictures and reports from all four Buildbase FA Vase quarter-finals.
As well as exclusive match reports and pictures from all of Saturday’s fixtures in the Vanarama National League, the BetVictor-Sponsored Isthmian League, Southern League and Northern Premier League, The Non-League Paper’s live coverage extends all the way to Steps 5 and 6.
Images courtesy of Gary Welford/Consett AFC