Coleshill Town vs Burton Albion (Birmingham Senior Cup)

Eee it's just like being back in non-league again! Tonight's trip to Coleshill almost has a nostalgic feel about it (although I don't think we have played there before). This is back to our roots, small crowds, quaint little grounds and basic grass-roots football. I fear a tear may fall into my Bovril at any point.

The Birmingham Senior Cup has for the last few seasons at least, been a reserve fixture for Burton Albion. In the past it has often been our only realistic chance of some silverware (along with the Bass Vase) and we (and our ancestors Burton Town) have a reasonable record. Albion have played in 6 finals, winning it only twice in 1954 against Brierley Hill Alliance and more memorably a 3 - 0 win against Tamworth in 1997. We were captained by Simon Redfern on that night and in a season where we won the Southern League Cup as well. Simon was an Albion legend who is still sadly missed by us all. He left us far too soon - how he would have loved to have seen how far we have come. R.I.P Simon.

Town also appeared in 6 finals but have lifted the trophy 3 times in 1926, 1928 and 1929. Not surprisingly, the two most successful teams in the competition are Aston Villa (19 wins) and Birmingham City (12 wins) who beat us 5-Nil in the 2008 final.

OK so here's how it works. 32 teams play in Round 1. Already through are such legendary teams as Cradely Town, Alvechurch, Sutton Coldfield, Tipton, Stourbridge, Romulus ("Ye cannae change the laws 'a physics captain!"), Leamington & Banbury. Oh and West Bromwich Albion as well. It's then a straight knock-out competition to the final. The other fixtures still to be played are:

Rugby vs Stratford

Boldmere St Michaels vs Walsall

Coventry Sphinx vs Nuneaton

Solihul Moors vs Birmingham City

Coleshill Town vs Burton Albion

Causeway United vs Highgate Utd

Tamworth vs Wolves

There. Everything you never needed to know about the Birmingham Senior Cup and couldn't be bothered to ask.