DESPITE not being the ‘best of friends’ with Eddie Howe at the end of his playing days at Burnley, Bradford City manager Graham Alexander now views his Newcastle United rival as an ‘inspiration’.

Respect will endure when Alexander pits his wits against Howe, with the outstanding managerial graph of the Magpies chief providing hope to English Football League bosses like himself.

In the latter stages of his time as a player at Turf Moor, Alexander – then Burnley captain – was bombed out by new Clarets supremo Howe in early 2011.

Plenty of water has gone under the bridge since and Alexander now fully understands Howe's approach.

He said: "I don't think we were the best of friends at that particular time, but I remember when I got my first job as a manager that one of the first people who sent me a really nice message was Eddie.

"And we have been in contact since then over the last few years. He's a top manager and he doesn't have to prove himself to anyone.

"He's a good guy and think it was a clash of two people wanting different things.

"He was wanting to build a new team and I was part of the old one. As soon as I became a manager, I understood the scenario.

BIG RESPECT: After a rocky start, Bradford City manager Graham Alexander has a good relationship with Newcastle United’s Eddie Howe. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe

placeholder image — BIG RESPECT: After a rocky start, Bradford City manager Graham Alexander has a good relationship with Newcastle United’s Eddie Howe. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe

"The role he took when he first took over at Bournemouth, I think they were bottom and points off in administration. It was more like the survival of the club, but what he did after was phenomenal.

"When you have examples like that, it is inspiring for managers at a lower-level like myself where you know if you can create a winning team and ride the wave of something, then it can lead to whatever."

City will be backed by around 5,000 supporters in the club's first appointment at St James’ Park since December 2000.

Alexander's side are in fabulous form, having showed their big-game credentials to triumph in their past two league matches against Cardiff City and Huddersfield Town.

INSPIRATIONAL: Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe. Picture: Owen Humphreys/PA

Registering a huge cup shock by knocking out the holders in front of 52,000 fans would trump those achievements.

In February, City faced another big cup occasion under the lights in the EFL Trophy semi-finals against Birmingham City at a sold-out St Andrew's. They were unluckily edged out, but their display earned many plaudits.

Alexander, whose side have lost just once in 11 games in all competitions this term – winning nine – added: "We knew we'd played well and pushed them right to the end, but there was still a disappointment that we'd got knocked out of the semi-final.

"But it's how you handle yourselves and compete because that's the one thing you can guarantee. You can't guarantee results, but you can with effort, body language and decisions. You don't want to look back and regret."

Defender Aden Baldwin (calf) is unlikely to feature, while one player desperate to be involved is boyhood Newcastle fan Andy Cook, who recently returned to action following his serious knee injury.

Alexander said: "My job is about the collective group being the best they can. But I understand the emotional side of football and the emotional side of Cooky.

"He’s had a long career and there aren’t many opportunities you get to play in a game of this magnitude against your boyhood club.

"But if I went down that road, I’d be going down that road with different people every week and it’s not one that leads to any good."