FA Cup: Shock tactics on offer as Yorkshire clubs go in search of causing upsets

Grant McCann has experienced it, watching the 2014 FA Cup final from Hull City’s end five years before joining as coach.

Leeds United travel to West Ham United tomorrow for a heavyweight tie but third-round weekend is about shocks.

McCann’s Hull have that chance at home to Everton, as do Huddersfield Town at Burnley, Rotherham United at Queens Park Rangers, and Sheffield United and Harrogate Town, at Wolverhampton Wanderers and Luton Town tomorrow.

“My neighbour is a big Arsenal fan and asked if I could get tickets,” says McCann.

“The only tickets I could get were in the Hull end. Hull were very unlucky after being 2-0 up (losing 3-2 in extra-time). I had to calm him down when Arsenal scored the winner as we were with a few rowdies!”

Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom insists Cup games feel special.

“At Darlo, we were the lucky loser when Man United dropped out (in 2000),” he says. “We got drawn at Aston Villa and I scored. No one’s got that story.

“Playing a second game in five weeks and how we’ve prepared is strange. There’s no replays. With all that comes a different feel.”

Injury-hit Huddersfield’s team-sheet last season was a surrender note but coach Carlos Corberan is promising a different mentality. Rumours of ex-Ipswich owner Marcus Evans trying to buy the club make its future uncertain but today Corberan will use its past, saying: “It’s 100 years since we won the competition and every team dreams of trophies.”

History drives Harrogate too, aiming to follow up their first win over League One opposition (Portsmouth) in a first game against a Championship team.

Paul Warne, manager of League One title-chasers Rotherham is less idealistic.

“It would be great to go through because we could make memories for our fans but if we lost 3-0 but gave a good account of ourselves would I be disappointed? Yes,” he says. “Would I be crying all the way home? No.”