The 2016–17 FA Vase final was the 43rd final of the Football Association's cup competition for teams at levels 9–11 of the English football league system. The match was contested between Cleethorpes Town and South Shields. This was first time both teams had reached the final and their first visit to Wembley Stadium. The final of the FA Trophy was played on the same day at the same venue for the second year running. Both matches were televised in the UK on BT Sport.
Cleethorpes Town defeated AFC Emley, Bootle, Billingham Town, Atherton Collieries, Southall and Bromsgrove Sporting en route to the final.
South Shields defeated Esh Winning, Runcorn Linnets, Marske United, Staveley Miners Welfare, last season's champions Morpeth Town, Team Solent, Newport Pagnell Town and Coleshill Town en route to the final.
This match is notable in the history of English football, as it was the first time an openly gay male footballer had taken to the pitch at Wembley, with Cleethorpes Town player Liam Davis having come out two years prior.
Route to the final
Cleethorpes Town
| 12 November 2016 2R | AFC Emley | 1–2 | Cleethorpes Town | Emley |
| 15:00 | | | | Stadium: Welfare Ground Attendance: 215 |
| 3 December 2016 3R | Cleethorpes Town | 2–1 | Bootle | Grimsby |
| 15:00 | | | | Stadium: The Bradley Football Development Centre Attendance: 196 |
| 7 January 2017 4R | Billingham Town | 1–2 | Cleethorpes Town | Billingham |
| 15:00 | | | | Stadium: Bedford Terrace Attendance: 364 |
| 28 January 2017 5R | Cleethorpes Town | 3–2 | Atherton Collieries | Grimsby |
| 15:00 | | | | Stadium: The Bradley Football Development Centre Attendance: 588 |
| 18 February 2017 6R | Southall | 2–5 | Cleethorpes Town | Perivale |
| 15:00 | | | | Stadium: Reynolds Field Attendance: 348 |
| 11 March 2017 SF 1st | Bromsgrove Sporting | 1–1 | Cleethorpes Town | Bromsgrove |
| 15:00 | | | | Stadium: Victoria Ground Attendance: 3,349 |
| 18 March 2017 SF 2nd | Cleethorpes Town | 1–0 (2–1 agg.) | Bromsgrove Sporting | Grimsby |
| 15:00 | | | | Stadium: The Bradley Football Development Centre Attendance: 1,154 |
South Shields
| 17 October 2016 2RQ | Esh Winning | 0–4 | South Shields | Esh Winning |
| 15:00 | | | | Stadium: West Terrace Attendance: 266 |
| 22 October 2016 1R | South Shields | 2–1 | Runcorn Linnets | South Shields |
| 15:00 | | | | Stadium: Mariners Park Attendance: 1,060 |
| 12 November 2016 2R | South Shields | 2–0 | Marske United | South Shields |
| 15:00 | | | | Stadium: Mariners Park Attendance: 1,116 |
| 3 December 2016 3R | South Shields | 3–0 | Staveley Miners Welfare | South Shields |
| 15:00 | | | | Stadium: Mariners Park Attendance: 808 |
| 7 January 2017 4R | South Shields | A-A* | Morpeth Town | South Shields |
| 15:00 | | | | Stadium: Mariners Park Attendance: 1,545 |
| 11 January 2017 4R | South Shields | 4–0 | Morpeth Town | Morpeth |
| 15:00 | | | | Stadium: Craik Park Attendance: 826 |
| 28 January 2017 5R | Team Solent | 2–5 | South Shields | Southampton |
| 15:00 | | | | Stadium: Test Park Sports Ground Attendance: 638 |
| 18 February 2017 6R | South Shields | 6–1 | Newport Pagnell Town | South Shields |
| 15:00 | | | | Stadium: Mariners Park Attendance: 3,161 |
| 11 March 2017 SF 1st | Coleshill Town | 1–2 | South Shields | Coleshill |
| 15:00 | | | | Stadium: Pack Meadow Attendance: 1,755 |
| 18 March 2017 SF 2nd | South Shields | 4–0 (6–1 agg.) | Coleshill Town | South Shields |
| 15:00 | | | | Stadium: Mariners Park Attendance: 3,464 |
* – Match abandoned after floodlight failure in the 81st minute (2–4) – rematch moved to Morpeth Town
Match
Details
| |
|---|
| GK 1 Liam Higton DF 2 Tim Lowe DF 5 Matt Bloomer DF 6 Matty Coleman 70' DF 3 Peter Winn MF 7 Liam Davis 19' 73' MF 4 Liam Dickens MF 8 Alex Flett (c) MF 11 Jonathan Oglesby FW 9 Marc Cooper 61' FW 10 Brody Robertson Substitutes: MF 12 Luck Mascall 70' MF 14 Jack Richardson 73' FW 15 Andy Taylor 61' FW 16 Gary King DF 17 Kieran Wressel Manager: Marcus Newell | | GK 1 Liam Connell DF 12 Alex Nicholson DF 5 Dillon Morse 80' DF 4 Jon Shaw DF 3 Darren Lough MF 19 Andrew Stephenson 55' MF 6 Julio Arca (c) MF 8 Wayne Phillips 83' FW 9 Gavin Cogdon 69' FW 21 Carl Finnigan 43' (pen) 70' FW 11 David Foley 86' 89' Substitutes: MF 7 Robert Briggs 55' MF 10 Michael Richardson 70' DF 16 Louis Storey DF 17 Barrie Smith 83' DF 20 Darren Holden Joint-Managers: Graham Fenton Lee Picton |
| GK | 1 | Liam Higton |
| DF | 2 | Tim Lowe |
| DF | 5 | Matt Bloomer |
| DF | 6 | Matty Coleman | | 70' |
| DF | 3 | Peter Winn |
| MF | 7 | Liam Davis | 19' | 73' |
| MF | 4 | Liam Dickens |
| MF | 8 | Alex Flett (c) |
| MF | 11 | Jonathan Oglesby |
| FW | 9 | Marc Cooper | | 61' |
| FW | 10 | Brody Robertson |
| Substitutes: |
| MF | 12 | Luck Mascall | | 70' |
| MF | 14 | Jack Richardson | | 73' |
| FW | 15 | Andy Taylor | | 61' |
| FW | 16 | Gary King |
| DF | 17 | Kieran Wressel |
| Manager: Marcus Newell |
|
| |
| GK | 1 | Liam Connell |
| DF | 12 | Alex Nicholson |
| DF | 5 | Dillon Morse | | 80' |
| DF | 4 | Jon Shaw |
| DF | 3 | Darren Lough |
| MF | 19 | Andrew Stephenson | | 55' |
| MF | 6 | Julio Arca (c) |
| MF | 8 | Wayne Phillips | | 83' |
| FW | 9 | Gavin Cogdon | | 69' |
| FW | 21 | Carl Finnigan | 43' (pen) | 70' |
| FW | 11 | David Foley | 86' | 89' |
| Substitutes: |
| MF | 7 | Robert Briggs | | 55' |
| MF | 10 | Michael Richardson | | 70' |
| DF | 16 | Louis Storey |
| DF | 17 | Barrie Smith | | 83' |
| DF | 20 | Darren Holden |
| Joint-Managers: Graham Fenton Lee Picton |
|
| Man of the match: Wayne Phillips | Match rules 90 minutes. 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary. Penalty shoot-out if scores still level. Five named substitutes. Maximum of three substitutions. |