[Lord Snooty]

November 17:

On this date in 2001, we played in the first round of the FA Cup for the first time in seven years. And that's because we'd just gone and gotten relegated to the 3rd Division.

We'd drawn Gravesend & Northfleet of the Conference Premier to play at home. They had just been promoted from the Isthmian Premier League and are nowadays in the National League South under the name of Ebbsfleet United.

We had Lou Macari in charge and were 6th in the table when the game got underway. It wasn't a great start, going behind in the 2nd minute, an own goal from Nathan Clarke.

This was only two years after we had been riding high in the 2nd Division, looking towards a crack at the Premier League under Steve Bruce, but not many of that team remained. Only Kevin Gray and Kenny Irons were still here, but we had Danny Schofield coming through now and old favourite Andy Booth, had returned after playing in the Prima Donna League with the Wendys and Spurs.

It was a new face who got the equaliser. Adie Moses, who had come from Barnsley grabbing it in the 63rd minute. As much as we pressed for the winner, it just wouldn't come and a replay down south, way down south in Kent, looked likely. But then out of nowhere, Leon Knight, the diminutive, cheeky chappie Chelsea loanee took us through to the next round. Phew!