By Will Castle

Biggleswade volunteer Ray Clark says it is all hands on deck as the Waders prepare for their mammoth FA Cup fourth qualifying round clash against National League outfit York City.

Clark, 77, is a jack of all trades on the Biggleswade committee and is often heard over the tannoy on matchdays, becoming a regular fixture at the Eyrie since 2019.

The club are preparing for the biggest game in their history on Saturday, where a shock result against York could send them to the FA Cup first round proper for the first time.

With Clark among those tirelessly putting in the work to get everything ready for the big occasion, he has hailed the importance of volunteers at non-league clubs like Biggleswade who keep things ticking over.

“Having a group of volunteers like we've got is massive because without the group we've got, we would be in deep, deep trouble trying to organise our game this weekend,” he said.

“It’s a proper family club. It’s a great atmosphere and when it’s such a great atmosphere, you don’t want to turn around and say I’m not going to help.

“We've got one or two guys like Lee [Rusbridge], our secretary, and obviously Jeremy [Reynolds], the chairman, they do a lot of the planning, what needs to be done and speak to the right people.

“At the moment I think we've got everything lined up and then we're just sort of working as the week goes on.

“The crowd we’re likely to get, I think we sold well over 500 tickets online already, so we’re working on that. 

"We're looking at 1,000 plus, we're hoping we might even push to 2,000, if it goes really mad - and obviously as it goes up, we'll have to increase the stewarding and what have you."

Clark is one of countless volunteers who play integral roles at non-league clubs across the country, with opportunities to get involved now available through the Pitching In Volunteer Hub.

Through entering their postcode, individuals can locate volunteering opportunities at nearby clubs and discover more details about which roles are available.

The graft of everyone at Biggleswade will pay off on Saturday as they look to prolong their already record-breaking cup run, having never previously made it beyond the second qualifying round. 

But with York sitting 77 places above the Waders in the pyramid, Clark is not getting too far ahead of himself and insists the feeling within the Biggleswade camp is that of realistic positivity.

“We're just looking to minimise the damage and get a good day out of it, making sure we present ourselves as well as we possibly can,” he said.

“We’ll make sure the day goes well and cheer on our lads. I hope they do their best and if it looks like a miracle's going to happen, we will go berserk and raise the roof.

“But obviously, they are 77 places above us in the league structure. It's just the biggest day in our history. It's all positive vibes really.

“We know the situation. We're not thinking that we need to get through - obviously that's the great wish. You think ahead to the possibilities, but behind all that there's the realism.”

Find volunteering opportunities at your local club by visiting https://pitchinginvolunteers.co.uk/