The FA Cup extra preliminary round marks the earliest stage of the world’s oldest cup competition. On September 1, 2020, at Foxbury Avenue, Glebe from the ninth tier faced Whyteleafe from the eighth. With just 232 fans watching behind wooden fences and a tree line dotted with stuck balls, Whyteleafe’s 30 traveling supporters celebrated a 3-1 victory and £1,125 in prize money after a 30-minute drive home.
Deep Roots Among Old Pals
Whyteleafe’s manager Harry Hudson, assistant Calum McFarlane, and player Dan Hogan share a bond that now propels them into the spotlight. Today, 38-year-old McFarlane serves as Chelsea’s interim head coach, with 37-year-old Hudson and 28-year-old Hogan as his assistants. They face Pep Guardiola, his staff including Pep Lijnders and Kolo Toure, and Manchester City’s analysts at Wembley before 90,000 fans.
Their paths crossed at clubs like Whyteleafe, Glebe, Croydon, Sevenoaks Town, and Corinthian-Casuals. They also coached at Kinetic Academy, a south London charity supporting underprivileged youths.
Shaping Professional Careers
Numerous pros credit this trio with launching their careers. Courtney Clarke, who started for Whyteleafe at 17 in that Glebe win, now plays as a wing-back for League Two’s Walsall at 23.
“I never thought I would have such top-level coaches in non-League,” Clarke states. “They did way more for me than some in the professional system. They’re like family.”
Clarke trialed at Norwich, West Ham, Leicester, Watford, Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, Fulham, Charlton, and Millwall before Derby signed him. “Calum and Harry cared deeply,” he adds. “They helped me believe in myself, never letting me get complacent.”
Seeing McFarlane coach Chelsea’s Under-21s, Clarke notes, “The way he had them playing was wow. If not at Chelsea, he’ll be a top manager elsewhere.”
Other successes include Josh Maja, now 27 and a West Brom striker for Nigeria; Kwadwo Baah, 23, Watford forward in the Championship; and Kinetic’s 83 pros, like Baah’s scholarship at Rochdale.
“They really helped me, especially in one-on-one sessions,” Baah says. “They have good hearts and give their best. Fingers crossed for the final—it’s good for their careers.”
Helge Orome, Whyteleafe captain under them and now Wycombe’s player care officer, shares: “They are among the most important people in my career. They invested time off-pitch, making me fall in love with the game again. Get the person, get the player—that’s their motto.”
“It’s inspiring,” Orome continues. “They’ve built overlooked careers and given opportunities to hundreds. They deserve theirs.”
McFarlane’s Unseen Path
From Forest Hill, Lewisham, in a Chelsea-supporting family, McFarlane began coaching at 16 after realizing his playing days ended. Youth roles at Fulham and Crystal Palace followed. In 2012 with Lambeth Tigers, he coached sons of Tromsø’s Thomas Hafstad, leading to a move north—217 miles inside the Arctic Circle.
“My family lived in Dulwich,” recalls Hafstad, now Tromsø technical director. “Calum headed our Under-11s with Joe Shields. He joined for Under-16s, then Under-19s and first-team sessions.” Tromsø qualified for Europa League, facing Tottenham under Andre Villas-Boas.
Returning in 2014, McFarlane joined Kinetic for six years while non-League coaching. In September 2020, he left for Manchester City’s Under-15s, rising to Under-18s under Shields.
Rise to Chelsea’s Helm
Hudson assisted Brentford and Wycombe youths. McFarlane moved to Southampton’s Under-18s then Under-21s in 2023. Last summer, boyhood club Chelsea called; he took Under-21s reins until Enzo Maresca’s New Year’s exit made him interim.
John Terry eyed the role, but leaders chose McFarlane’s A Licence for up to 12 weeks. His debut: 1-1 draw at Etihad despite missing Caicedo, Cucurella, Sanchez, and Fofana. Tactical halftime shift—man-to-man, Andrey Santos in midfield, Enzo Fernandez advanced—yielded Fernandez’s stoppage-time equalizer. Reece James urged fan celebrations.
Liam Rosenior’s interim integrated McFarlane; Hudson took Under-21s, Hogan Under-18s. Rosenior’s sacking elevated McFarlane again. With the trio, Chelsea beat Leeds 1-0 in semis, drew 1-1 at Liverpool (Fernandez scoring), ending a two-month Premier League winless streak.
Wembley Destiny
McFarlane eyes history as first English FA Cup winner since Harry Redknapp’s 2008 Portsmouth triumph, securing Europa League. Owners favor him; Strasbourg could beckon. By interim’s end, he’ll match Wembley senior games to Stamford Bridge.
From Whyteleafe to Wembley, this trio inspires. Supporters like Clarke, Baah, Orome cheer them versus Guardiola’s machine.
McFarlane’s family shares: “We’re delighted and proud of his achievements. Managing in the FA Cup final reflects his hard work and passion. As lifelong Chelsea fans, we’ll cheer every step, hoping for victory.”
