Third Round Draw...

So, the big day is here, the draw for the third round of the F.A. Cup!  As I have explained previously, this is where the big guns of the top two tiers (Premier League and Championship) of English football join the twenty teams from the lower divisions who have made it this far.

This is the round where the REAL shocks and glory days can occur, with clubs from the lower levels of the Football League - and even a small handful of non-league sides - hope to be drawn against the Liverpools, Arsenals, and Manchester Uniteds.  The round where one good draw can give a poor club a huge financial boost, as well as fame.

The non-league clubs in this year's third round draw, along with their second round results) are :

Salford City (drew 1-1) at home to Hartlepool, and now await a replay)

Whitehawk (drew 1-1 with Dagenham  & Redbridge, and now await a replay)

Eastleigh (beat Stourbridge 2-0, and at the moment, the only non-league side guaranteed a third round game)

Grimsby (at home to Shrewsbury tonight)

With the draw just this minute completed, here are the highlights.

Eastleigh, currently eighth in the National League are at home to the Championship's bottom side, and four-time F.A. Cup winners, Bolton Wanderers.

The winners of the Salford City / Hartlepool tie are at home to 1946 Cup Winners,Derby County, who are currently third in the Championship.

If Whitehawk can get past the Daggers, they will journey up to Goodison Park to take on mighty Everton.  The "Toffees" are 11th in the Premier, and have lifted the F.A. Cup of five occasions.

Should Grimsby defeat Shrewsbury tonight (no score at the moment), they visit Championship promotion hopefuls, Cardiff City.  Cardiff, of course, are the only Welsh side to win the Cup, way back in 1927.

Of course, you don't have to be a non-league side to spring a major shock.  Teams from League Two also like a chance of glory, and the standout here is Exeter City at home to Liverpool.  The "Reds" have won the F.A. Cup seven times, while their opponents have never progressed past the quarter-finals.

Despite having an awful season, Chelsea are still one of the glamour sides, and the winners of the Leyton Orient (League Two) / Scunthorpe Utd (League One) second round tie would be happy to spend an hour and a half at Stamford Bridge!

The other Premier / League Two clash is Wycombe Wanderers vs Aston Villa.  Thing is, on current form, the home side would probably go into the match as favourites!.

There are five all Premier League third round clashes,which are Arsenal vs Sunderland, Norwich vs Manchester City, Southampton vs Crystal Palace, Tottenham vs Leicester City, and Watford vs Newcastle.

The matches are scheduled for the weekend of 8th-11th January, 2016.