EUAFC 1s Within Touching Distance of Bramall Lane.

At the Football Varsity the 1st team players are privileged to play in a stadium that can hold an impressive 4,000 people at our local ground, St James Park.

However if they record just one more victory against Brighton 2s on Wednesday afternoon the venue will be vastly superior: at the home of Sheffield United, a stadium holding 32,000 people.

Previously a premier league team, Sheffield United have fallen from grace as of late, but this will mean nothing to the players of EUAFC. It will be an incredible opportunity for the 1st team squad as they test themselves against another extremely talented University side.
 

Not only that, but any players who still harbour ambitions of playing professionally will perhaps be given one more chance, as scouts will undoubtedly flock to see some of the best University players in the country.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves: Brighton 2s are the last team standing in the way of EUAFC and a final spot. How the 2nd team reached further than their 1s remains to be seen, but a long away trip waits for EUAFC in a match they can conceivably win. 

In many ways reaching the semi-final and falling short is worse than falling at the first round. The players know the final is painfully close, and it will hurt if they fall short at this late stage. But on the flip side, the celebrations will be wild should the team knockout Brighton to qualify.

Although Brighton may have home advantage, Exeter’s away form this season probably suggests their slight favourites.

Impressive away victories at Brunel and then Hartpury has left the squad in high spirits for this crucial encounter. It is notoriously difficult to win away BUCS matches as long trips leave you feeling stiff and tired, but the 1s seem to travel extremely well.

Captain Des Peare has been injured of late, and it is unsure whether he will recover in time for the match. But first year Jess Wilson has captained the side in recent weeks, and a recent upturn in their league form has left all involved with EUAFC feeling optimistic.