The achievements of the last Harwich and Parkeston team to reach the FA Cup first round are to be officially celebrated next month.
This season will bring the 50th anniversary of the club’s most recent appearance in the competition proper.
And to mark that, the club has invited members of that 1976/77 team to the Gwinnell and Sons Royal Oak on Saturday August 8 – the day the current Shrimpers open their FA Cup campaign with a home tie against Mildenhall Town (kick-off 3pm).
The club’s joint-chairman, Tony Armstrong (pictured), was the goalkeeper in that side, one which faced Enfield in the first round. After drawing 0-0 in the original tie, the team knew that if they won the replay they would face Football League opponents – either Crystal Palace or Brighton – in the second round.

Oak ready to stage charity game

However, Enfield, one of the best non-league teams in the country at the time, proved too good, winning 3-0 in front of 1,843 fans.
Harwich had beaten Thetford, Newmarket, Sudbury, Lowestoft and Lewes in the qualifying competition to reach that stage and the story of the entire FA Cup run will be told in a special exhibition to be staged in the Social Club that day.
Before the game, there will also be a question-and-answer session with members of the 76/77 team which we hope will interest modern-day fans.
Further details of the day will follow in due course.