Friday night will see an end to all the talking, when the FA Cup second round finally comes around.
Gainsborough Trinity have reached that stage of the historic competition for the first time in 72 years, and will look to equal a club record set in 1886/87 by reaching the third round.
To do so, Russ Wilcox’s men need to get past Harrogate Town: who sit 73 places above them in the football pyramid.
Speaking to The Linc, the Trinity manager said: “It’s an old cliché, but it’s 11 v 11 at the end of the day. And, you never know what is going to happen during the game. Anything can happen in football, like we saw in the last tie at Hednesford.
“We will give it our all to get into that Third Round. It’s a huge carrot. All the rest of the ties have been big carrots, but this is huge.
“You are talking about, if you can get through, being in there with the elite. So, it’s one we’re looking forward to, and one we will give our best shot.”
A “Fantastic” Time for Gainsborough:
The entire club, and town, has been given a boost by the Holy Blues’ Emirates FA Cup exploits this term.
Wilcox said: “It’s fantastic for the town, it’s been 72 years. And, you’re never sure in cup competitions. It might be another 72 years, it might be longer… that’s a lifetime.
“The supporters that are there now, I don’t think there will be anybody who will have seen the last time they got to the second round. So, it’s a really special occasion for the club and for the town.”
The 60-year-old has had no shortage of successes and memorable moments during his time in football, but Wilcox places this cup run alongside his best.
“It’s up there. The promotion with Scunthorpe [United] was special, I thought I did a really good job with York City too, and the same with Farsley [Celtic]. But, this one is different. I’ve never been this far managerial-wise, so it’s been a really successful journey,” he said.
Gainsborough have beaten no shortage of higher-division opposition so far, getting past both Darlington and Boston United in the qualifying rounds. However, their dramatic penalty shootout victory at Hednesford Town in the first round was the one that rightfully hit the headlines.
Preparations Well Underway:
Gainsborough Trinity’s preparations for their televised FA Cup clash have been far from ideal, with their last two games falling foul of the weather. The Holy Blues altered their training schedule to Monday and Wednesday this week, instead of their usual Tuesday and Thursday sessions.
Wilcox gave credit to the “great following” of more than 1,000 that will make the trip from North Lincolnshire on Friday, November 29. He admitted that the tie will be a “difficult” one, but it is certainly a challenge that Gainsborough Trinity are excited for.
The Linc will provide full coverage of the game, on both X (formerly known as Twitter) and our website.