What a tie this was between Hillingdon Borough who were then one of the top sides in the Southern League and Sutton United were then playing in the Isthmian League Premier Division.
Former Leeds United, Brighton & HA, Queens Park Rangers and Fulham defender Jim Langley was the player-manager of Hillingdon Borough at the time - He had learnt his trade for a number of London non-league sides just after World War II including Yiewsley (a former name of Hillingdon Borough - At 14 years of age he was the youngest player to play for the club), Uxbridge and Hayes. He was 40 years old at the time of this match and at 42 years old played in the 1971 FA Trophy final for the club at Wembley.
Hillingdon Borough had played Dartford in the Fourth Qualifying Round at home and drawn 1-1 in front of 3,292 and then drawn 0-0 in the replay with 4,193 watching. In the second replay they won 4-1 with 4,431 in attendance. The First Round saw Southern League rival's Wimbledon visiting The Leas Stadium and a 2-0 win with a crowd of 3,845. Luton Town visited in the second round who were then in Division Three and a giant killing took place with a 2-1 win recorded in front of a huge crowd of 9,033!
The game ended 0-0 in with The U's winning the replay 4-1 at Gander Green Lane - they went on to play football league Champion's Leeds United (under the managment of Don Revie) who won 0-6 in the fourth round game in front of 14,000 people - Seats were borrowed from The Oval to increase the capacity.
Unfortunately for Hillingdon Borough their successes of the late 1960s and early 1970s were not built upon and financial difficulties came in the 1980s. The final game at Leas Stadium was played in 1985 in front of 350 people against Chatham Town. They merged with Burnham to form Burham and Hillingdon Borough in 1985 with this name sticking for two seasons before a revert back to Burnham FC.
The name of Hillingdon Borough was resurrected in 1990 and they reached the FA Vase in 2006 - They had more financial problems in 2017 in which former player Yannick Bolasie helping the club out.
They now play at the Middlesex Stadium which is around six miles from the spiritual home of the original club which is now unfortunately housing.
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