‘We’re just going to worry about ourselves’ – Fareham’s Tom Settle previews a tough FA Vase trip to Plymouth Parkway

Fareham Town's Tom Settle is determined to salvage something memorable from what has been another pandemic-wrecked campaign
Tom Settle in FA Vase action against Roman Glass St George in December. Pic: Keith Woodland.Tom Settle in FA Vase action against Roman Glass St George in December. Pic: Keith Woodland.
Tom Settle in FA Vase action against Roman Glass St George in December. Pic: Keith Woodland.

The Reds are one of the few fortunate non-elite clubs in the country still able to play competitively in the 2020-21 campaign.

Settle will be part of the Fareham team making the long trip to Western League Premier Division Plymouth Parkway in the FA Vase third round on Saturday bidding to make club history.

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Never before have they reached the last 32 of the competition and Settle says the current squad are keen to put themselves in the record books.

The tie has been moved to a 3G pitch at the Devon FA headquarters in Newton Abbot.

Settle, who skippered Fareham prior to the December lockdown of non-league action, said: ‘It’s been difficult with the stop-start all season.

‘We’re pleased, even though the league has been cancelled, that we can carry on with competitive games.

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‘We haven’t had much time to prepare with a few training sessions and a practice game with the reserves, but we’re just going to go down there and just give it everything.

‘We'll try to start on the front foot, go at them and try to get the win.

‘If we go on a good little run (in the FA Vase), who knows? It’s a long way away yet but imagine the chance to play at Wembley.

‘They’re supposed to be pretty good, we’ve done a bit of homework on them, and they’ve probably done it on us.

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‘Playing on the 3G pitch is a little bit different for us as well but, as I say, we’re going down there to give it everything and hopefully get the win.'

Parkway will provide tough opposition having lost just once in 14 matches in all competitions this term - and that came in the FA Cup on the opening day.

Although wary of the threat Plymouth will pose, Settle says Fareham's focus will remain on themselves and what they can do to make sure of progressing.

He added: ‘We know they were top of their league and they were up there last year as well when the league got cancelled, so they’re obviously a pretty good team.

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'We’ve done a bit of homework on them, seen a bit of footage on them, and looked at their strengths and weaknesses.

'Even their friendly at the weekend - they drew 4-4 (with Buckland) - we’ve seen a bit of footage from that so it gives you a little bit of insight.

'We’re not too worried about them, we’re just going to worry about us.

‘We’ll put the best team out that we think can go down there and get a result and go from there.'

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The winners will be home to Clevedon Town in the fourth round. Clevedon were fourth in the Western League Premier, 11 points behind Parkway when the campaign was curtailed, having played the same amount of matches.

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