The 2008–09 FA Cup qualifying rounds opened the 128th season of competition in England for 'The Football Association Challenge Cup' (FA Cup), the world's oldest association football single knockout competition. A new record 762 clubs were accepted for the competition, up 33 from the previous season's 729 – completing a significant increase of 75 teams (11%) from the 687 clubs just two seasons earlier. South Normanton Athletic folded before the fixtures were released, leaving 761 clubs to appear in the draw.
The large number of clubs entering the tournament from lower down (Levels 5 through 10) in the English football pyramid meant that the competition started with six rounds of preliminary (2) and qualifying (4) knockouts for these non-League teams. The 32 winning teams from fourth round qualifying progressed to the First round proper, where League teams tiered at Levels 3 and 4 entered the competition.
Calendar The calendar for the 2008–09 FA Cup qualifying rounds, as announced by The Football Association.
Round Start date Leagues entering at this round New entries this round Winners from previous round Number of fixtures Prize money Extra preliminary round 16 August 2008 Levels 9-10 406 none 203 £750 Preliminary round 30 August 2008 Level 8 129 203 166 £1,500 First round qualifying 13 September 2008 Level 7 66 166 116 £3,000 Second round qualifying 27 September 2008 Conference NorthConference South 44 116 80 £4,500 Third round qualifying 11 October 2008 none none 80 40 £7,500 Fourth round qualifying 25 October 2008 Conference Premier 24 40 32 £12,500
Extra preliminary round The draw for the extra preliminary round was announced on The FA's website on 1 July 2008. 406 clubs from Level 9 and Level 10 of English football, entered at this stage of the competition.
Tie Home team (tier) Score Away team (tier) 1Bedlington Terriers (9)1–0Chester-Le-Street Town (9)1252Consett (9)5–1Pontefract Collieries (10)1283South Shields (9)5–1Hebburn Town (10)2064Horden Colliery Welfare (10)1–3Sunderland Nissan (9)445Northallerton Town (9)1–3Whitley Bay (9)1246Glasshoughton Welfare (10)2–2Billingham Synthonia (9) Billingham Synthonia (9)5–1Glasshoughton Welfare (10)1037Crook Town (10)6–1North Shields (10)958Pickering Town (9)4–1Liversedge (9)1829West Auckland Town (9)2–1Hall Road Rangers (9)5910Jarrow Roofing Boldon CA (10)2–1Spennymoor Town (9)7911Team Northumbria (10)4–1Esh Winning (10)7312West Allotment Celtic (9)2–1Sunderland Ryhope CA (10)7013Shildon (9)3–0Leeds Carnegie (10)10014Armthorpe Welfare (9)5–0Yorkshire Amateur (10)4015Marske United (10)0–1Whickham (10)7316Billingham Town (9)2–2Brandon United (10)90 Brandon United (10)1–2Billingham Town (9)7017Morpeth Town (9)0–2Ryton (9)6118Washington (10)0–0Stokesley SC (10)117 Stokesley SC (10)2–0Washington (10)14819Bishop Auckland (9)3–2Darlington Railway Athletic (10)14220Seaham Red Star (9)1–3Selby Town (9)7521Bridlington Town (9)3–2Guisborough Town (10)13522Norton & Stockton Ancients (10)0–1Newcastle Benfield (9)7323Silsden (9)4–1Eccleshill United (9)17324Ashington (9)1–0Thackley (9)15125Thornaby (10)0–3Tow Law Town (9)7026Dunston Federation (9)4–0Tadcaster Albion (10)16227Cheadle Town (10)1–4Newcastle Town (9)7228Leek CSOB (10)1–4AFC Fylde (9)6829Maltby Main (9)3–4Bottesford Town (10)6330Dinnington Town (9)1–2Atherton Laburnum Rovers (9)10931Parkgate (9)1–2Norton United (10)4332Darwen (10)4–7Penrith (9)8433Holker Old Boys (10)2–2St Helens Town (9)56 St Helens Town (9)1–0Holker Old Boys (10)8334Formby (9)3–1AFC Emley (10)9135Winsford United (9)3–3Nostell Miners Welfare (9)130 Nostell Miners Welfare (9)3–0Winsford United (9)13536Bootle (10)5–1Eccleshall (10)5537Abbey Hey (9)1–1Flixton (9)55 Flixton (9)3–1 Abbey Hey (9)6838Barton Town Old Boys (10)1–3Winterton Rangers (9)13239Maine Road (9)2–1Chadderton (10)7640Brodsworth Welfare (9)2–1Ashton Town (10)2841Oldham Town (10)2–0Ashton Athletic (9)4442Congleton Town (9)2–2AFC Blackpool (10)92 AFC Blackpool (10)1–4Congleton Town (9)5443Ramsbottom United (9)2–0Hallam (9)13544Alsager Town (9)0–1Padiham (10)5445Runcorn Linnets (9)3–2Rossington Main (10)17046Colne (9)4–1Daisy Hill (10)5547Atherton Collieries (9)1–2Bacup Borough (9)4248Squires Gate (9)3–1Biddulph Victoria (9)5549AFC Wulfrunians (10)1–1Pilkington XXX (10)65 Pilkington XXX (10)2–1AFC Wulfrunians (10)6850Arnold Town (9)1–2Long Eaton United (9)11751Tipton Town (9)2–0Teversal (10)3952Highgate United (9) w/oBrierley Hill & WithymoorWalkover for Highgate United – Brierley Hill & Withymoor folded53Racing Club Warwick (9)6–2Cadbury Athletic (10)7854Westfields (9)7–1Gedling Miners Welfare (10)4455Stratford Town (9)2–0Pershore Town (10)16456Shirebrook Town (9)3–2Causeway United (9)9757Gedling Town (10) w/oStapenhillWalkover for Gedling Town – Stapenhill folded58New Mills (9)1–2Friar Lane & Epworth (9)18459Borrowash Victoria (10)2–4Market Drayton Town (9)5260Coventry Sphinx (9)1–2Barwell (9)12461Tividale (10)1–3Coleshill Town (9)5462Wellington (10)1–4Mickleover Sports (9)4663Dunkirk (10)1–4Alvechurch (9)9364Heather St Johns (10)0–3Cradley Town (9)8665Ledbury Town (10)2–3Bromyard Town (10)8466Staveley Miners Welfare (10)3–1Bridgnorth Town (9)8167Goodrich (10)1–1Meir KA (10)44 Meir KA (10)Goodrich (10)7668Pegasus Juniors (9)1–4Glossop North End (9)4169Rocester (9)0–1Nuneaton Griff (10)9670Southam United (10)3–1Boldmere St Michaels (9)10271Hinckley Downes (10)4–2Shawbury United (10)9872Heath Hayes (10)1–3Shifnal Town (9)12073Oadby Town (9)0–3Oldbury United (9)7074Ellesmere Rangers (10)4–0Dudley Sports (10)75Dudley Town (10)1–2Rainworth Miners Welfare (10)7576Brocton (10)1–1Lye Town (10)98 Lye Town (10)5–1Brocton (10)25277Gornal Athletic (10)3–1Pelsall Villa (10)2678G.S.A. Sports (10)1–3Coalville Town (9)3079Stone Dominoes (10)3–2Walsall Wood (10)3780Bolehall Swifts (10)1–3Studley5281Castle Vale (10)0–2Barrow Town (10)15282Yaxley (9)4–3Lincoln Moorlands Railway (9)6283Sleaford Town (9)3–2Ely City (9)32084Haverhill Rovers (9)2–2March Town United (10)81 March Town United (10)2–0Haverhill Rovers (9)10585Stowmarket Town (10)2–2Ipswich Wanderers (10)87 Ipswich Wanderers (10)2–0Stowmarket Town (10)11686St Neots Town (9)7–1Holbeach United (9)19087Mildenhall Town (9)8–0Felixstowe & Walton United (9)16688Gorleston (10)3–5Fakenham Town (10)9289Woodbridge Town (9)1–0Newmarket Town (10)9390Diss Town (10)1–2Walsham-le-Willows (9)16291Hadleigh United (10)0–1Great Yarmouth Town (10)11892Whitton United (9)1–1Cornard United (10)47 Cornard United (10)Whitton United (9)3393Leiston (9)2–1Blackstones (9)12494Long Melford (10)2–5Boston Town (9)9595Thetford Town (10)0–1Needham Market (9)20696Debenham LC (10)0–1Dereham Town (9)9197Lowestoft Town (9)2–1St Ives Town (9)43398Wisbech Town (9)1–1Norwich United (9)170 Norwich United (9)1–3Wisbech Town (9)11499Deeping Rangers (9)3–0Bourne Town (9)129100Wroxham (9)1–0Kirkley & Pakefield (9)194101Raunds Town (9)2–2Harwich & Parkeston (9)94 Harwich & Parkeston (9)0–3Raunds Town (9)131102FC Clacton (10)2–0St Margaretsbury (9)151103Rothwell Corinthians (9)2–3Langford (9)47104Erith Town (9)7–1Potton United (9)25