EVERY dressing room, we’re told, has undeniable, match-winning team spirit. It seems though that the FA Cup tomfoolery at Sporting Khalsa would even make Wimbledon’s infamous Crazy Gang blush.
Our final Step 5 club standing in the FA Cup, the club built by the west Midlands Asian community in 1991 will host mighty FC United of Manchester in the fourth qualifying round on Saturday.
They’ll be fighting for each other like brothers, guaranteed. Khalsa have come a long way in a short space of time.
Purely a Sunday League club as recently as 2004, just over a decade on they will face their biggest ever game with thousands expected.
Manager Ian Rowe runs a tight ship but he certainly knows the value of letting his players off the leash from time to time.
“After beating Wellington 4-0 the other week with had a charity fundraiser,” he told me after getting back late from Buxton where he watched the replay as the National League North Rebels won with two late goals.
“A few of them got a little inebriated. One, whose identity we’ll protect for now, was a little worse for wear and was sick all over himself as he got into his cab home.
“The cabbie was having none of it – he handed him the ultimatum of stripping off… or he would drive off. He chose stripping off! I’m not sure what I would have preferred!”
Of course the striptease was captured on the phone of club physio John ‘Budgie’ Bird, a man said to be easily bribed for his evidence.
The Sporting dressing room also boasts a professional rapper, social worker and two teachers. There’s more than meets the eye at Midland League Khalsa, who progressed after an 80th minute Simeon Townsend header finally saw off Step 4 Spalding 2-1 on Tuesday night.
Rowe added: “The owners and committee members are Indian, but actually we only have one Indian player. My view is; whatever culture or creed you are, if you’re good enough, you’re in my team.
“It’s a special atmosphere we’ve created. We’re not world beaters who have suddenly landed from Mars but we know how to roll our sleeves up, we get each other through it.”
They maintain their Asian roots, but Saturday will be special for the manager in particular – not least because he is a big Manchester United fan.
“I have followed what the FC United fans have done and I’m right behind them,” he added. “They are great people who have done great things. But we want to beat them next weekend!”
