PoolWarrior
Well-known member
Neil Critchley highlighted the significance of the FA Cup to the Club ahead of the third round tie at Nottingham Forest.
The Seasiders made it the third round following their eventual second round tie against Forest Green Rovers at Bloomfield Road, but they know there will be a step up in test against Premier League opposition.
“It is a special day in the football calendar in the FA Cup Third Round,” Critchley said.
“Any League One or League Two side in this competition sees their first aim as getting to the third round, we’re no different and we achieved that.
“Then ideally you’re trying to draw a Premier League team home or away and we’ve done that, so it’s a great game to look forward to. We understand the challenge in front of us, a different type of team to the one I came up against in the Championship not so long ago.
“They’ve spent an enormous amount of money on an enormous amount of players and it’s a great game to test ourselves in. It’s the FA Cup, we’re excited by the competition and hopefully we can do ourselves justice.”
Critchley was able to provide an FA Cup upset of his own during his first spell at Bloomfield Road against West Bromwich Albion.
But with supporters unable to attend that fixture due to COVID, the Head Coach is keen to provide yet more memories for the travelling supporters.
“I think it’s important for the whole football club,” Critchley added.
“People of my generation or slightly older get excited by the FA Cup, that was your dream as a boy. Whether it be to play in the competition or score the winner in the final.
“We’ve got history in this competition, it means a lot to us as a football club and we go to Nottingham Forest on Sunday as the underdog, we understand that.
“But hopefully we can bridge the gap between the two teams and there’s always a surprise. There will be a shock over the course of this weekend and hopefully that will be us.
“We faced a really busy schedule which started off with the Forest Green game which seems ages ago. The Lincoln game was important for us to win that game, granted we weren’t at our best, but it was important to win in that way.
“You can’t always win with beautiful football but the game on Sunday will be completely different. We’ve had a bit of a break which is important physically and psychologically for the players and hopefully we can go there and give our supporters something to get behind on the day.”
The Seasiders made it the third round following their eventual second round tie against Forest Green Rovers at Bloomfield Road, but they know there will be a step up in test against Premier League opposition.
“It is a special day in the football calendar in the FA Cup Third Round,” Critchley said.
“Any League One or League Two side in this competition sees their first aim as getting to the third round, we’re no different and we achieved that.
“Then ideally you’re trying to draw a Premier League team home or away and we’ve done that, so it’s a great game to look forward to. We understand the challenge in front of us, a different type of team to the one I came up against in the Championship not so long ago.
“They’ve spent an enormous amount of money on an enormous amount of players and it’s a great game to test ourselves in. It’s the FA Cup, we’re excited by the competition and hopefully we can do ourselves justice.”
Critchley was able to provide an FA Cup upset of his own during his first spell at Bloomfield Road against West Bromwich Albion.
But with supporters unable to attend that fixture due to COVID, the Head Coach is keen to provide yet more memories for the travelling supporters.
“I think it’s important for the whole football club,” Critchley added.
“People of my generation or slightly older get excited by the FA Cup, that was your dream as a boy. Whether it be to play in the competition or score the winner in the final.
“We’ve got history in this competition, it means a lot to us as a football club and we go to Nottingham Forest on Sunday as the underdog, we understand that.
“But hopefully we can bridge the gap between the two teams and there’s always a surprise. There will be a shock over the course of this weekend and hopefully that will be us.
“We faced a really busy schedule which started off with the Forest Green game which seems ages ago. The Lincoln game was important for us to win that game, granted we weren’t at our best, but it was important to win in that way.
“You can’t always win with beautiful football but the game on Sunday will be completely different. We’ve had a bit of a break which is important physically and psychologically for the players and hopefully we can go there and give our supporters something to get behind on the day.”