The FA have announced this week that the FA Trophy will start earlier in the 2012/13 season, and the final will take place at Wembley Stadium on Sunday 24th March 2013.

The change in date is to allow clubs to concentrate on their league fixtures as the season comes to a close, and also to avoid a clash between play-off fixtures at the FA Trophy final.

"The FA Carlsberg Trophy comprises clubs in the Football Conference, Northern Premier, Southern and Isthmian Leagues and this change allows the showpiece Final to be played at Wembley Stadium and away from the end of season play-off schedules," Charlie Clapham, chairman of the FA Trophy Committee, commented on the FA website yesterday.

“As a consequence, the preceding rounds have also had to be brought forward accordingly and the competition will now commence on Saturday 15 September, 2012.”

The result of this means that our first game, which will be in the First Qualifying Round, is scheduled for Saturday 29th September. There is one round prior to this, the Preliminary Round, which will take place a fortnight earlier.

Further dates are as follows : Second Qualifying Round (27th October), Third Qualifying Round (10th November), First Round (24th November), Second Round (15th December), Third Round (12th January), Fourth Round (26th January), Semi Final First Leg (16th February), Semi Final Second Leg (23rd February).

The draw will be made at the same time as the FA Cup in early July.