Marine could play their much anticipated ‘home’ FA Cup tie at a different stadium according to reports emerging on Wednesday morning.
There are claims that the Northern Premier League Division One North West will have to seek an alternative ground to host their historic FA Cup Third Round clash against Premier League’s Tottenham if their ground can’t be made coronavirus secure.
Marine’s Rossett Park home holds just over 3,000 fans with the potential that 2,000 could be permitted to attend under the new coronavirus guidelines, with Merseyside currently in Tier 2.
However, that would make social distancing impossible and instead Marine might have to look to the surrounding area to play the match, with Liverpool’s Anfield – six miles away – and Tranmere’s Prenton Park – 10 miles – as potential options.
It especially comes in handy that Everton are at home to Rotherham at Goodison Park but Liverpool and Tranmere have been drawn away ties.
Of course though, we so badly want to see Tottenham and the likes of Jose Mourinho and Harry Kane playing at this eighth tier side’s stadium which is surrounded by houses over looking the ground.
Marine manager Neil Young has claimed Rossett Park can host 1,600 safely, with fans also able to watch from housing that overlooks the ground, but has also indicated the game may have to be moved.
“We can get about 1,600 in under the current restrictions, that may change obviously with the Government guidelines as we go forward,” Young told BBC Radio Four’s Today programme.
“We’ll play at home hopefully. I presume they’ll be safety standards people there involved and the police will have things to say. We’ll see what happens.
“If you were to move it, you’d have to move it to another ground probably, a local ground, rather than go away from home.
“The plan is to play at Marine if we can. It’s a proper cup tie, it’s what the FA Cup is about. It took seven games to get here, this is our reward and they don’t come much bigger.
“Our ground actually only has three sides, there’s houses on one side. People can [watch from bedroom windows], they’ll be people in trees and everything. It’s a tight little ground, a lovely little ground and it’ll be very welcome to Tottenham Hotspur.”
There are a full 167 places between Tottenham and Marine in the English pyramid, a record for a FA Cup third round tie, as Spurs prepare for their first match in the competition but it will be the seventh for the non league side.
Spurs currently sit top of the Premier League table, taking 21 points from 10 games played for the 2020/21 season.
Marine’s journey began in the first qualifying round on September 22 having gone on to take the scalps of League Two Colchester and National League South Havant & Waterloovile to set up the Spurs tie.
All third round matches will be held across the weekend of January 8-10 with Spurs game against eighth-tier Marine to be televised.
“It’s an unbelievable draw,” added Young. “We will plan as best we can. Usually with Jose’s teams, he puts pretty strong sides out. We have won seven games to get here and this is a great reward.”
- Huddersfield v Plymouth
- Southampton v Shrewsbury
- Chorley v Derby County
- Marine v Tottenham Hotspur
- Wolves v Crystal Palace
- Stockport County v West Ham
- Oldham Athletic v AFC Bournemouth
- Manchester United v Watford
- Stevenage v Swansea City
- Everton v Rotherham
- Nottingham Forest v Cardiff
- Arsenal v Newcastle
- Barnsley v Tranmere Rovers
- Bristol Rovers v Sheffield United
- Boreham Wood v Millwall
- Blackburn Rovers v Doncaster Rovers
- Stoke City v Leicester City
- Wycombe Wanderers v Preston North End
- Crawley Town v Leeds United
- Burnley v MK Dons
- Bristol City v Portsmouth
- QPR v Fulham
- Aston Villa v Liverpool
- Brentford v Middlesbrough
- Manchester City v Birmingham City
- Luton Town v Reading
- Chelsea v Morecambe
- Exeter City v Sheff Wed
- Norwich City v Coventry City
- Blackpool v West Brom
- Newport County v Brighton
- Cheltenham Town v Mansfield Town
Here’s @_pauljoyce’s article about our @EmiratesFACup tie with @SpursOfficial in today’s @thetimes newspaper! #COYM pic.twitter.com/mu5uDzUkN7
— Marine Football Club (@MarineAFC) December 2, 2020
The fencing at Marine’s ground is marked with numbers so the club knows which house to knock on if the ball goes in the back garden.
Imagine Harry Kane knocking on your door to ask for his ball back 😂 pic.twitter.com/DeyOhVnZKh
— SPORTbible (@sportbible) December 1, 2020
🗣”We will enjoy the occasion”
Marine AFC Manager Neil Young on facing Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup 3rd round @MarineAFC pic.twitter.com/3qWNxUKvhP
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) December 1, 2020
Our home game with @MarineAFC on 9 January has been postponed.
Apparently hosting @SpursOfficial in the @TheFACup is more important 🤷🏻♂️@PitchingIn_
— Ossett United (@OssettUnited) November 30, 2020
The magic of the cup! ✨ https://t.co/WUtYqU17Xn
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 30, 2020
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