Those few words sum up manager Chris Willcock’s feelings about Glossop North End’s FA Vase fourth round tie at Worksop Town on Saturday. He is expecting a day to remember with a crowd of anything up to 700 at Babbage Way as the sides battle it out for £2,000 in prize money and a place in the last 16.
Although they resigned from the Evo-stik NPL last season, Town have retained their support in the Northern Counties East League, and the Hillmen are taking three coachloads of supporters plus those travelling independently.
“Worksop are a really good football team. They’re very much like ourselves in that they like to attack and score lots of goals. I expect it to be very close and I just hope we come out on top,” said the Glossop manager.
“Their boss, Mark Shaw, is very experienced and has been manager at clubs like Sheffield and Retford. He’s got some experienced players as well as some really talented young lads who were at professional clubs and want to make their way back into the league.”
The Town squad includes midfielders Connor Sellars, son of former Blackburn Rovers player Scott Sellars, and Jack Waddle, whose father is England winger Chris Waddle. Also at Babbage Way is striker Chris Whincop who was on Hyde’s books at the end of last season.
Worksop currently sit third in the NCEL premier division table, eight points behind leaders Tadcaster but with two games in hand. Their record is not dissimilar to that of the Hillmen, who are locked in a very tight North West Counties League championship race.
However, postponements are beginning to worry Willcock as his side do their best to close the 12-point gap on Runcorn Linnets, albeit with five games in hand.
“We had a very good run-up to December but since then the number of call-offs has spoiled our momentum. The lads have worked hard. They’re keeping their fitness up and are in high spirits, but the momentum thing is a concern to me. The only way we’ll get it back is by playing games,” commented Willcock.
“Fortunately, we haven’t done badly with injuries. There have been times when our physio, George Bryson, has had to patch a few people up but the only bad injury we’ve had is Sam Hare.
“The majority of the players are in really good shape but having said that there’s still almost five months of the season left and things could quickly change. I’ve got my fingers firmly crossed that they don’t.”