The postponed Third Round match against Jersey Bulls has now been rearranged for Saturday 14th December at the Primcura Healthcare Stadium when the teams will try again to progress to the last 32 of the 2024-25 Isuzu FA Vase. The kick off will be 12.30 pm and as usual in the competition now, penalties will decide the winners if the scores are level after 90 minutes.

Meanwhile, the draw for the Fourth Round has been made and the winners will be away to Walsham le Willows on Saturday 11th January. The Willows are currently seventh in the Premier Division of the Thurlow Nunn Eastern Counties Football League and beat Brantham Athletic of the same division 2-1 on Saturday to equal their best run in the competition, which was achieved just last season. The Suffolk based team play at the Walsham le Willows Sports Club in Summer Road, at their ground that has been used for sport since the late 1800s, with the exception of the Second World War years when the pitch was ploughed up to grow food to support the war effort.

If Whitstable do manage to get past both Jersey Bulls and Walsham le Willows, they will reach the Fifth Round for the second time in their history. Those supporters with long memories may recall the 1996-97 season, when an 85th goal by former Hull City, Scunthorpe United and Rochdale striker Andy Flounders was enough to end Whitstable’s run at North Ferriby United who went on to lose 3-0 to Whitby Town in the final at Wembley. Interestingly, that season also saw local rivals Herne Bay depart at the same stage, losing 2-0 at Banstead Athletic.

For the record, Whitstable’s results in the 1996-97 season were:
Lancing 0 Whitstable 4 (Second Round Qualifying)
Southwick 1 Whitstable 3 (First Round)
Whitstable 1 Slade Green 0 (Second Round)
Burnham 1 Whitstable 2 (Third Round)
Concord Rangers 0 Whitstable 0 aet (Fourth Round)
Whitstable 2 Concord Rangers 1 aet (Fourth Round replay)
North Ferriby United 1 Whitstable 0 (Fifth Round)

The full draw for this season’s Fourth Round
1 South Liverpool or Albion Sports v Crook Town or Carlisle City
2 Atherton LR or Ashton Town v Hallam
3 Redcar Athletic or North Shields v West Didsbury & Chorlton or Silsden
4 Winsford United or Sutton United (Birmingham) v Northampton ON Chenecks or Bourne Town
5 Clay Cross Town or Melton Town v Whitchurch Alport or Lincoln United
6 March Town United v Daventry Town
7 Abbey Hulton United or Droitwich Spa v Heanor Town
8 VCD Athletic or Windsor & Eton v Epsom & Ewell or Burnham
9 Walsham le Willows v Whitstable Town or Jersey Bulls
10 Tunbridge Wells or Crawley Down Gatwick v Tring Athletic or Fleet Town
11 Spelthorne Sports or Egham Town v London Lions or Great Yarmouth Town
12 AFC Whyteleafe v Dereham Town or Harpenden Town
13 White Ensign or Thetford Town v Erith & Belvedere
14 Portishead Town v AFC Stoneham or Brixham
15 Hartpury University or Wells City v Downton or Fareham Town
16 Roman Glass St George v Andover New Street or Clevedon Town