Preston North End manager Simon Grayson can't wait to test his side against the "best players in world football" as Manchester United head to Deepdale for Monday's fifth-round FA Cup tie.
“We've got a fantastic game here, for the club and the supporters,” said Grayson. “We’re going to ply our trade against the best players, not only in the Premier League, but in world football. The manager has been there and done it at so many different clubs, and won so much silverware.”
It’s the kind of fixture that League One teams dream of, he adds: “Our players work hard to get the opportunity to play against the best players that they’ll probably never get the chance to play against again, that are gracing World Cups, the finest stadiums and games around the globe.
"It will be an unbelievable experience. You don't realise how big a tie this is until you realise the number of TV stations and how many countries it's going to hit over the next few days." While Preston goalkeeper Thorsten Stuckmann adds: "This is the first big game we've had since I've been here, and I’m looking forward to it."
One PNE fan even spent £5,000 travelling from South Africa for the much-anticipated match up. "I'll sell a kidney to get a ticket,” tweeted 52-year-old Michael Jackson, before finally securing a seat – thankfully using cash.
Get all the Cup colour in the build-up, plus our report and reaction, in the
Match Centre.
