CAMPION joint-manager Lee Ashforth is relishing the opportunity to lead his side out in the FA Cup live on the BBC tomorrow (12:30 pm).
The Red and Blacks’ fixture against Blyth Spartans in the first qualifying round of the competition will be available on BBC iPlayer, the red button and it will also be accessible via the BBC Sport website on tablet, phone and desktop.
It is set to mark an historic occasion for Campion, who will feature on the iconic UK broadcaster for the first time ever.
Victories over Parkgate and AFC Liverpool, both of a 1-0 scoreline, earned the West Yorkshire side their place in this stage of the competition.
Ashforth, who will take charge of the Bradford outfit alongside joint-manager James Bicknell for this special occasion, said: “It is fantastic for the club; it brings much needed revenue and the sponsorship we get from just being on TV is huge.
“As much as me and James (Bicknell) are joint managers of the first team, James does a lot of great work behind the scenes to get these sponsors on board.
“Since the draw, he has worked tirelessly to get the maximum out of this occasion, so we’ve now got to go and make sure that we put on a strong performance on the pitch too.
“Since I’ve been at Campion, we’ve always struggled in the FA Cup, so to be looking forward to this amazing occasion this weekend is just fantastic for everyone involved.”
Ashforth added: “Of course, we want to attract as many people as possible to the game on Saturday, however, by playing attractive football and putting on a show, then hopefully people will continue to return to Campion, because it is a great club and people enjoy coming.”
Not only will it represent a gargantuan occasion for the club, but it will also provide both Ashforth and Bicknell, along with the players, with an opportunity to showcase their talent on the big stage.
And Campion’s joint-manager admitted that he is relishing the chance to walk his team out on Saturday.
Ashforth said: “I look forward to every game because I love what we do.
“But it was imperative that we got the job done at Frickley last weekend (2-1 win), and we did, so we can all look forward to the FA Cup this weekend.
“I have been involved in a lot of FA Cup games in the past, and it is great to be involved in such a prestigious competition, but this one feels extra special.
“However, it will go in the flash of an eye, so we need to enjoy every moment of it.”
Relaying his message to the players ahead of this weekend’s fixture, Ashforth said: “The first thing the players have to do is enjoy it, and that is what I’ve told them.
“It is important that they don’t get caught up in the occasion, and I say that to them every game.
“You don’t realise how short your career actually is when you’re in the thick of it, particularly at Step Five level.
“From here, some of them will kick on but for some of them, this might be the furthest they go in the FA Cup.
“So, they must all enjoy it and put a performance in. They need to make sure that when they walk off that pitch at full-time, they have no regrets, and they feel like they have given everything.”
One player who will be feeling confident ahead of this weekend’s match is Zak Khan, a player who has started to find the net for Campion having moved to the club in the off-season from Route One Rovers.
And Ashforth admitted that it was only a matter of time before the prolific forward started to find his rhythm.
He said: “We knew we’d lost Marcus Day and Paddy Sykes, so it was important that we replaced their goals.
“Zak was our number one target; he was scoring goals for fun for Route One Rovers, and he was doing for us during pre-season.
“As it happens, he did not have many chances for us in the first couple of league matches, but that was through no fault of his own; we just weren’t creating opportunities for him.
“It took him a couple of games to get going, but he has now found his feet at the club and is scoring goals.
“We never had any doubt in him; Zak will always score goals wherever he plays, and I believe he could hit 30 this season if he stays fit.”
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