Tamworth began their cup run with a home tie against Southern Football League Midland Division rivals Bridgnorth Town.

Former Tottenham Hotspur, Stoke City and Bolton Wanderers striker, Ian Moores, joined the club in February and made his Vase debut in the semi-final against North Ferriby United.

[4] Under a new management team of Don James and Martin Head, Sudbury Town had reached the semi-finals of the Vase in the previous year.

Against a difficult set of opponents on their route to the final in the 1988-89 season, they only conceded one goal, a penalty scored by March Town in the third round.

[7] In the final at Wembley, Dave Hubbick opened the scoring for Sudbury with a header after 6 minutes, following a cross by Bryan Klug.