Having finally got around to watching the FAC 4th Rd highlights a random stat piqued my interest.
West Ham were playing their 150th different club and I thought that for a club of their longevity the count seemed a little small.
Onto the mighty Wanderers with our storied amateur century to add to 30 years or so of League football, we must be knocking on for 200 or so. I did a brief look through the top 7 divisions and got to a conservative 115, add in old Isthmian foes, amateur cup fixtures (Bishop Auckland for one) and I reckon we must be there.
Wild stabs in the dark or educated guesses anyone (before Steve Peart weighs in with actual facts)?
Perhaps I should have been more specific in quoting the source list, see below, as it lists clubs with the A.F.C. pre-fix first (I wouldn’t have chosen to do it that way either but there you go).
So while we have played both Abingdon & Accrington they wouldn’t be next in the list.
It may also not be correct or no longer include clubs (teams?) we have played, but I’m not about the check it.
Yes, top 10 divisions (4 professional and 6 flights of non-league) and cup national cup competitions pro or amateur, so FA Vase counts but B&B cup doesn’t- that’s my understanding of the boundaries of competitive 1st team fixtures, I could be awry.