Local pride and £4,500 will be at stake on Saturday 7th December when Slough Town will host Maidenhead United in the Isuzu FA Trophy Third Round at Arbour Park, as the two sides will meet for the first time in a generation outside of Berks & Bucks Cup fixtures. The last such encounter was almost three years ago to the day, Maidenhead winning through at York Road in a shoot-out after a 1-1 draw. You can surely expect this Trophy derby to be just as tight.
SL2 and SL6 last met in league action in 2000/01. Maidenhead United had reached the Isthmian League Premier for the first time in their history and both matches were won by the home side, both by a single goal margin. Alan Devonshire’s Magpies finished seven points ahead of their neighbours who were relegated.
The clubs were regular adversaries in the Corinthian League and the Athenian League in the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s and were both elected to the Isthmian League for the first time in 1973. The Rebels were promoted to the top-flight of the Isthmian League at the end of 1973/74, and subsequently enjoyed seven seasons in what is now known as the National League. Therefore, the two sides have shared just one season in the same division in the last half century.
With the Rebels operating at Step 3 as recently as 2014, Maidenhead have rather been top-dog in the 21st century, with Town promoted to Step 2 in 2018 twelve months after the Magpies joined the National League. The two clubs have rarely been closer in terms of league placing in recent memory – the Magpies are currently in effect just ten league places ahead of the Rebels who are enjoying yet another play-off push in the South.
The team managed by Scott Davies saw off Step 3 side Chatham Town on penalty kicks on Saturday in Round 2 to reach the last 64. Alan Devonshire will be wary of the Rebels magnificent home form on the Arbour Park 3G, Slough having lost just once on their own turf in more than twelve months.
Other than a mutual appreciation for the likes of Mick Chatterton, Garry Attrell and Mark Nisbet – just three of many who have worn both the amber and blue of Slough and the black and white of Maidenhead – not much unites fans of the Rebels and the Magpies. The thought that a ‘SL Classico’ is long overdue however will not be argued by supporters on either side.
