Squires Gate FA Cup tie to be shown live by BBC

Squires Gate FC were pleased to play their last game in front of a crowd of 150 - so the Blackpool non-league club are ecstatic that their match tonight will be watched by an estimated half a million.
Ryan Riley (right) displays Squires Gate's new home strip and Dean Ing the away kit ahead of the club's televised FA Cup tie   Picture: ALBERT COOPERRyan Riley (right) displays Squires Gate's new home strip and Dean Ing the away kit ahead of the club's televised FA Cup tie   Picture: ALBERT COOPER
Ryan Riley (right) displays Squires Gate's new home strip and Dean Ing the away kit ahead of the club's televised FA Cup tie Picture: ALBERT COOPER
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Spectators return to see Squires Gate defeat Thornton Cleveleys

The Marton club's extra preliminary round FA Cup tie at Maine Road has been selected for live broadcast by the BBC, who will show the 7.45pm game on the BBC Sport website, on iPlayer and on the red button service.

The BBC's original choice was the tie between Burton Park Wanderers and AFC Sudbury. However, a positive coronavirus test at the host club in Northamptonshire has seen that tie postponed, with Manchester club Maine Road stepping in as a replacement.

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Gate manager Luke Evans told The Gazette: "It's been a bit of a whirlwind. We got an email at 3pm on Monday to say we had been selected because of the positive test at Burton Park.

"It was completely out of the blue. We were doing our normal prep for the cup game and now it takes on extra significance.

"I believe Leon Osman will be co-commentating and it's really exciting for the players. They are unbeaten in pre-season, and will be wanting to put on a good show and get a positive result.

"The money we will get from the BBC is in the thousands and the extra funds will be a massive help to us, especially in a year like this."

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The winners of tonight's tie - one of more than 150 taking place in the competition this evening - will be away to Northern Premier League club Ashton United in the preliminary round a week on Saturday.

Besides the BBC audience, a crowd of up to 300 will be permitted to attend the game.

Teams at North West Counties League level - Gate play in the premier division and Maine Road in division one south - are now allowed to open their doors to a limited number of supporters.

Gate were the first Fylde coast club to invite supporters back for a friendly against Thornton Cleveleys 10 days ago.

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The capacity was 150 that day and Evans added: "All the Covid stuff went really well. We had test and trace and I suppose it's our new normal. The FA are also giving grants to clubs to help us get Covid-ready."