IT’S derby day in Manchester this weekend but Premier League giants United and City aren’t going toe-totoe.
The FA Cup has a knack for breathtaking moments, giant-killings and incidents that defy description but there will be a new chapter written in the North West this weekend when Hyde United, of the Northern Premier League in the seventh tier of English football, travel to Southport in the Second Qualifying Round.
The tie, worth £3,375 to the winner and £1,125 to the loser, has a lot more riding on it than just prizemoney in one household. A family from Greater Manchester will be divided when Callum Spooner will be looking to end his father’s hopes of a run in the famous tournament.
The 26-year-old is set to line up in the Merseysiders midfield as he takes on the Tigers, managed by his dad, Nick.
A week before the Spooner grudge match was scheduled to kick off, gamesmanship had already been deployed.
“The mind games will start. It’s going to be a quiet house from next week on, we’ll just see what happens,” says the Tigers manager.
“I’ll be locking my notes away and he won’t be able to see them then we’ll go to the game, shake hands then we’re at war for 90 minutes.”
Southport enter the competition at the Second Round Qualifying due to their place in the pyramid. Hyde, however, have already endured one round and 180 minutes of FA Cup football – beating rivals and fellow Northern Premier League club FC United of Manchester via a replay.
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