Mark Carruthers' non-league verdict: History beckons in the FA Cup - but it's a shame loyal supporters cannot attend

In this most challenging of years, the first round of the FA Cup, a bedrock of the fixture schedule, will be played out over the next four days.

It is a time when giants become wary and tense, when the underdogs are emboldened, and the headline writers pray for the unexpected.

The unthinkable will become possible, dreams will become reality and players that ply their trade away from the bright lights of the Football League will step out from the shadows, even for the briefest of moments.

There will be talk of teachers, plumbers and postmen producing heroic displays – but in reality, with the increasingly competitive nature of the non-league game, to focus on anything other than the fact that these men are players seems cruel.

Of course, one of the trio of North East clubs taking part is made up of full-time, professional players – but it could be argued that the events of the last few days has made their task even more difficult.

Hartlepool United face a trip to the lowest ranked of the three sides that stand in the way of North East non-league representation in Monday’s second round draw.

Class-of-92 backed Salford City will host Pools in an FA Cup tie for the second time in five years – although much has changed at both clubs since that 1-1 draw at Moor Lane in December 2015.

The Ammies were then an ambitious, part-time out playing in the third tier of non-league football and Pools – then under Ronnie Moore – were still a Football League club.

The two sides have switched places and that makes Dave Challinor’s side as underdogs to come through a challenging tie.

Their task became even more daunting on Thursday when the manangerless Ammies filled that vacancy by appointing Swindon Town boss Richie Wellens.

Pools will unquestionably have to be at their best – and shake off the ill-effects of last weekend’s heavy home defeat against Torquay United – if they are to find their way past a Salford squad that will be motivated to impress their newly-appointed manager.

In a strange quirk of fate, the appointment of Wellens could give a small boost to Darlington’s chances of pulling off a giant-killing against his former club.

The Quakers will travel to Swindon on Saturday to face a side reeling from the loss of their manager.

Naturally, when any manager leaves a club, there will be players in the squad that will be happy to see him go.

But there will also be those that will lament the loss of their former boss and the uncertainty caused by his departure could offer Alun Armstrong’s men some hope of pulling off a famous win against the League One club.

Darlington certainly have the talent in their squad and have players with vast experience of the FA Cup and the higher levels of the football pyramid.

Some of them have experienced coming out on the right side of a shock result and will go into Saturday’s game knowing exactly what is required of them at the County Ground.

An intriguing tie lies in wait.

And then there is South Shields.

The upwardly mobile Mariners reached a new peak in their renaissance by reaching the first round for the first time since 1973 when they saw off FC Halifax Town with a dominant display just under two weeks ago.

Their run to the first round has been challenging and they have had to show both sides of their game to come through a gauntlet of testing ties.

If the wins over the Shaymen and league rivals Ashton United were full of silk and style, the Mariners showed a steely determination and will to win to battle their way past away ties at Warrington Town and National League North club Southport.

They will now head to League Two promotion challengers Cheltenham Town looking to write a new chapter into their ever-growing history books.

Despite their recent form, the size of the task that faces Graham Fenton and Lee Picton’s men should not be underestimated.

The Robins have made a positive start to the season and sit in one of the four play-off places on offer in League Two.

South Shields will head to Whaddon Road with confidence – but they will also know that they can not afford to fall below the high standards demanded of them by their management team as they look to claim another historic win.

But for all of the magic that will be sprinkled over the weekend, there can be no denial that some of the sparkle will be missing.

Should any of our three clubs pull off an upset, they will do so not in front of a passionate throng of travelling supporters, but to a backdrop of empty seats and terracing.

With Covid-19 still dictating the agenda, and supporters limited to watching live streams on laptops, smartphones and televisions, we will be robbed of one of the more romantic aspects of first round weekend.

During our time watching the FA Cup, we have all witnessed the emotional scenes as non-league players celebrate a historic win in front of a vociferous group of supporters.

There would normally be scarves thrown on to the pitch and draped around their shoulders, gestures towards family members and friends proudly watching on from the terraces and a frantic search for the flashing lights of cameramen to capture a unique moment in time.

History beckons for some – it’s just a shame loyal supporters that have followed their side around the country will be forced to watch on from afar.