Our youngsters will take on Rusthall in the Preliminary Round

The draw for the extra preliminary and preliminary rounds of the 2022-23 FA Youth Cup have been made, with the Hamlet entering at the latter of those two stages.

We have been drawn against Kent-based Rusthall in that round, which will be played at some point during the week commencing Monday 29th August at Champion Hill, with the kick off time also to be confirmed.

First team players past and present such as Ethan Pinnock, Quade Taylor, Sanchez Ming, Paul McCallum, Jamie Splatt and Jay-Rich Baghuelou have all played for the club in this competition.

Should the Hamlet want to progress to the main stages of this year's competition, they shall have to come through four rounds of qualifying.

Since Gavin Rose and Junior Kadi arrived at the club in 2009, the club has managed to reach at least Round 1 an impressive seven times, the most recent coming in 2019-20, being knocked out at that stage three times, a further three in Round 2, and memorably reaching the Third Round in the 2010 -11 season, when Newcastle United were welcomed down to SE22, emerging as 6-2 winners 11 years ago.

During that year's run, a hat-trick from McCallum helped them to a 3-2 win over Yeovil Town in R2, the first time the club had ever defeated Football League opposition. They have also technically registered a second success over a Football League side when they were awarded a walkover success over Crawley in 2019.

Last season was a rare failure in this competition for the Hamlet, as the youngsters lost 1-0 to Maidstone United at the Gallagher Stadium in the Preliminary Round.