Still urges side to follow Bradford’s lead

Bradford City showed just how far a League Two side can go in the competition by making the 2013 final, and the Town boss believes their success is a fantastic example.

Ahead of the first round tie with Swindon at Kenilworth Road, he said: “We take loads from that (Bradford), you’re playing 11 against 11.

“It was only a pre-season friendly, but we beat a very strong Aston Villa side last year, it’s football, it happens.

“I would never, ever ever write one of my teams off, whoever we play. We could play Manchester City, and I would go into the game thinking if we do this and this right we’re going to give ourselves a chance.

“Now if Manchester City play us and they’re at the top of their game, they’ll smash us out of sight, there’s no doubt about that. But what if they’re not?

“If they’re not and we are, maybe we give ourselves that little chance, you’ve always got to have that little belief you can do something to affect them.

“I would never rule out anything. We all dream about what it would be like if we did this.

“When you do stop dreaming, it’s time to pack up, because you have to believe you can achieve the ultimate success. If you don’t believe it, it’s not the game for you.”

Swindon sit in the division above the Hatters, and beat Scunthorpe 3­-1 in their opening fixture, but Still sees the upcoming clash as an opportunity to learn, not one to be feared.

He said: “When you play sides who are in leagues higher than you, you learn more. You become better players by playing with and against better players as well as all the work that you do in training.

“If someone’s lucky enough to end up playing a Championship club or Premier League side, you might not learn loads of things, but you can learn little techniques.

“I love young players that go and watch football at a higher level, to go and watch someone in their position and see how quickly they move the ball, how good their touch is, how clever they’re movement is, look at their awareness.

“I advise my players all the time, learn from the best.

“Who’s the best player in your position? Can you ever go and watch him? When you’re at the game you see everything, movements from all over the pitch.

“I think it’s a great thing and games you can get in these competitions will aid people’s progress.”