THEIR manager drives a black cab, and their players all work full-time jobs outside of football, but tiny Redbridge FC are just one step away from a potential FA Cup clash against Manchester United.
The club, who play their home games in Barkingside, made history by beating Oxford City in a tense first round replay to reach the second round of the famous old competition for the first time in their history on Tuesday night.
And they now face League Two side Crawley Town for a place in the hat for the third round which could see them pitted against one of the giants of English football.
Nicknamed the Motormen, the club has its roots in East London’s car industry and was previously known as Ford United – a club which itself sprang up out of a merger between Ford Sports and Briggs Motor Bodies FC in the late 50s.
Manager Terrry Spillane,50, a life-long West Ham fan, has seen his team of amateurs battle their way through seven cup ties to reach the second round.
He said: “I’m a cabbie, which is lucky because I can choose my hours to a certain extent.
“To be truthful, with this cup run I have not been going to work anyway, because my head’s all over the place.
“Crawley will be a really tough game, but I’d love to win and then get drawn against West Ham. That would be the ultimate for me.”
Terry’s sons, 22-year-old electrician Tom and 18-year-old builder Terry Jnr, both play for Redbridge, while 23-year-old midfielder Ben Bradbury, who scored the goal that took them into the second round, works as an insurance broker.
He is still on a high after his cup heroics and said: “That was most definitely the biggest goal I have ever scored.
“All the people at work are chuffed for me and a lot of them will be coming to the Crawley game.”
Adam Dennehey, 24, was one of around 30 loyal fans who travelled to Oxford to see his team make history.
He said: “The last time the club reached the first round, I was still at school and didn’t even know they existed.
“I’m sure we’ll take a lot more fans to Crawley. Then if we beat them, who knows? I wouldn’t mind a trip to Old Trafford.”
Redbridge’s second round tie at Crawley will take place on December 3.
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