JARROW PREVIEW
We take a short break from league action and head back onto the road to Wembley as the FA Vase round 1 proper rears into view and the visit of a new name, Jarrow from the Northern Football League Division 2.
MATCH: Ramsbottom United vs Jarrow
VENUE: Harry Williams Riverside Stadium, Ramsbottom, BL0 0BS
COMPETITION: FA Vase Round 1
DATE: Saturday 18th October 2025
KICK-OFF: 3:00pm
ADMISSION: Adults – £9, Concessions (over 67) – £5, U12 – £1 (with paying adult).
NOTE: We are a CASH ONLY stadium – there are NO CARD FACILTIES at the ground.
OVERVIEW:
The FA Vase is one of those competitions for clubs at our level where you do have a real chance of reaching Wembley – ask our manager Steve Wilkes for instance, who had pedigree in this competition and knows its importance.
And so, for the seventh season in a row that we have played in the FA Vase, the Rams welcome the first round proper and will welcome Northern Football League Division 2 outfit Jarrow, who will head down from the north-east for the very first time (I resisted using the word ‘march’ down because that would be too obvious!!).
The Rams come into the match off the back of the thumping 8-0 victory in the second qualifying round against Glasshoughton Welfare and with six wins from the last seven games in all competitions and second place in the league held, there is plenty to be encouraged by.
But you just never know what you are going to get in the FA Vase and Jarrow, who sit in sixth place in Division Two of the NFL with 33 points from 19 starts, some nine points adrift of leaders Redcar Town will be an unknown quantity.
They are unbeaten in their last 11 games across all competition, which included a 2-0 victory over Ryton and Crawcrook Albion on Tuesday night – their last defeat coming at the back end of August at home to Prudhoe Youth Club Seniors 2-1. Lutfur Karim scored both of Jarrow’s goals while Kieron Beattie scored their last winner to reach this stage of the competition, beating Thornaby 1-0.
And the last time the Rams faced a side from the north-east in the FA Vase? It was Consett away in round two in the 2011/12 season where Mark Drew and Ian Flannery’s strikes were not enough to save the Rams from a 4-2 defeat.
It will not be an easy contest, that is for sure but the ‘Big Arch’ is only eight wins away!
FACILITIES
The game at Ramsbottom United will be by payment in CASH at the turnstile (the club does not have a card facility). Prices are as shown above and programmes are £2.
Due to cricket and adjacent building works, parking for spectators should be away from the ground, in either town centre car parks (drivers are advised to check any time limits) or in the various side streets, all of which are no more than 5-10 minutes walk away but please be mindful of local residents and businesses.
Various bus routes come into Ramsbottom town centre (https://bustimes.org/localities/ramsbottom for details) and the East Lancs Railway (https://www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk/events-activities/western-region-weekend/) station is adjacent to the ground.
Tea Bar serving hot and cold drinks, pie and peas, sweets, crisps etc will be open within the ground, as will the Can Bar serving beer, lager and cider.
HISTORY
We offer a very warm welcome to everyone coming down from Jarrow for this game.
Of course, these two sides have never met before so it is always particularly pleasing to welcome new supporters to our corner of east Lancashire.
It is decidedly rare that the Rams face teams from the north-east, well in the FA Vase anyway (no-one mention Darlington!!). But a look at the records sees a handful of occasions where north-east has met north-west in the Vase.
The last time, as mentioned, was Consett away in 2011-12 but before that, Newcastle Benfield Saints – after a replay – and Consett were both downed in 2004-2005 when we reached round two while the year before, Shotton Comrades were beaten 5-1 and Crook Town 3-2 before we saw off Fleetwood Town after a replay only going on to lose to Nottinghamshire based Gedling Town in round three.
We have also played Bedlington Terriers in 1998/99 round two (and lost 3-0), Washington Ikea Hoover the following year who were thrashed 7-0 before we exited after a replay against Tow Law Town in round two and then Evenwood Town in round 1 qualifying in 2000/01 … they are now Spennymoor Town! Add in Easington Colliery and Chester-le-Street Town who both knocked us out in successive seasons and you will see a mixed bag of results against teams from this rich area of non-league football.
STEVE WILKES SAYS:
“Everyone knows that I love the FA Vase and to welcome Jarrow down to the Riverside is going to be a tough fixture against a team from a level below us but in terrific form.
“We are playing some good football at the moment but struggling to keep clean sheets which is a concern but we know we are able and are continuing to score goals which has seen us win six of our last seven games and maintain the pressure on Padiham at the top of the table but that will be parked today as we concentrate on this game in the FA Vase.”
