IT MAY be only 77 days since Arsenal humbled Aston Villa in the FA Cup final but the whole competition starts up again tomorrow with the 2015-16 extra preliminary round.

ALBION SPORTS will be up against an England winner's team as they travel to the north east, the current Ashington manager being former Test match cricketer Steve Harmison.

Ashington is the home of the Charlton brothers, Bobby and Jack, as well as the Harmison brothers – Steve, current Durham bowler Ben and James, who is the Northern League outfit's centre back.

Steve Harmison is following a family tradition as his father Jimmy, a former Yeovil Town player, has also had a spell in charge.

Albion will need to bounce back to get a positive result as they lost 3-2 at home in the Northern Counties East League in midweek.

They had opened their Premier Division campaign with 1-0 victory at Retford but, despite taking the lead twice against Rainworth on Wednesday, they suffered their first defeat.

THACKLEY are also heading to the north-east footballing hotbed for their tie. The Dennyboys' opponents are Durham City, who they know well after several friendly games between the two when Andy Patterson was Thackley boss.

LIVERSEDGE journey north but veer towards the west as their hosts are Holker Old Boys in Barrow. Sedge will be in good spirits after beating Thackley 2-1 in a midweek league derby courtesy of a brace from Andy Wood.

SILSDEN are the only one of the area's four representatives in this round to bag a home tie, with West Allotment Celtic their visitors.

The Cobbydalers lost on the opening day of the North West Counties League season but improved on that with a draw in midweek. Craig Nichols and Talent Ndlovu scored second-half equalisers as Silsden finished 2-2 at AFC Darwen.

ECCLESHILL UNITED finished last season too low down the NCE League table to qualify for the FA Cup so they will be in Division One action tomorrow at home to Winterton Rangers.