Blyth Spartans A.F.C.

they should be very aware of that you've got to keep it up or else, you know, it can drastically change.

Then we're gonna go down to 11th place, Blyth Spartans, and we talk about how close the league can be.

When we looked last week, they were sat 19th, and now they're up to 11th.

So it literally just proves our point.

So the UEFA Europa League is upon us and this obviously is a massive milestone for AFC Bournemouth as we play our first ever competitive match in European football.

But by travelling to San Sebastian, the club will break its record for the furthest distance travelled for a competitive cup fixture, surpassing the notorious 2008 FA Cup trip to Blythe Spartans.

While this is their first competitive meeting, the clubs had previously crossed paths in a pre-season friendly on the 9th August 2025, hosted at the Vitality Stadium, and the warm-up match ended in a tight 0-0 draw.

Now, who's played for both? Well, there's only one name, and that's Diego Rico, the former left-back who left AFC Bournemouth some time ago.

That was really, really impressive, mate.

And thank you for putting that together.

Hopefully it's going to be a lot better result than that Blythe Spartans game.

But yes, like you say, you know, I have to pinch myself to think, you know, when you compare Blythe Spartans and that bloody monstrosity that we played that day and this, you know, it's, light years away isn't it

Okay.

Um, [clears throat] Blyth Spartans.

[laughs]

[laughs]

It's okay to get one wrong.

If you've got a bee in that bonnet and you want to get it out, feel free.

Blyth Spartans.

[laughs]

Um, if you go back into the archives of the Magpie Circle, Rosie, you will find It's about an hour and a half.

It was a really good interview with Cowell during his first spell at Notts, and he talks in depth about his time at Newcastle, some of the challenges he faced, uh, turning down, if memory serves, Panathinaikos to go to, um, um, Blyth Spartans.

There you are.

There not many people do that.

Uh, but anyway, uh, he was a bit homesick, so he preferred Blyth Spartans to going to Panathinaikos, so have a listen to that one.

Um, uh, "My blood pressure is perfect," says Rosie Manns, uh, seriously.

Um, "We will be coming up against Aidan Baldwin," talking of center halves on Saturday, says Andy Eastham.

Go on

... just make a point on Recce Town as well, who, um, it's their first ever FA Cup campaign, and they've got through to the first qualifying round, beat, um, Redlynck last Friday night, and they've been drawn at home in the first qualifying round against Blyth Spartans.

So, um, you'd imagine they'll have a big crowd there.

Um-