Stoke City v York City: Boss Foyle expecting a 'warm' welcome

But Martin Foyle is keen to deflect attention away from himself as he leads his York City team into today's FA Cup third-round tie at Stoke, with the Blue Square Premier League high-flyers looking to pull off a major upset against their Premier League opponents.

Foyle, 46, spent nine seasons at Port Vale as a player, where he was the club's record post-war goalscorer with 107, and managed the Valiants from 2004 to 2007.

He still has plenty of friends in the Potteries area and, owing to his Port Vale connections, more than a few enemies, but the former Southampton trainee insists today's fixture is not about himself but about the York City players.

"This match isn't about me, it's about the York City lads," said Foyle, whose side have won 10 of their last 11 games in all competitions, including FA Cup victories over Crewe Alexandra (3-2) and Cambridge United (2-1).

"It's the players who have worked mighty hard to get this club into the third round of the cup and the players who deserve to be the centre of attention.

"I've had my time as a player and enjoyed it immensely.

"Now other people are having their times and I don't want to take the attention from them."

Although Foyle's sentiments are understandable, he cannot escape the spotlight.

Port Vale's record signing when he joined for 375,000 in June 1991, he remains an instantly recognisable figure to Stoke's supporters.

"Of course I've got many memories of playing against Stoke," he conceded. "I've always had a bit of banter with their fans and I'm sure there will be plenty more on Saturday afternoon.

"All the games I've started against Stoke I've never been on the losing side, so hopefully that will be a good omen for us.

"Games against Stoke are always passionate affairs and this one promises to be no different."

Despite stressing that next Tuesday's visit to Altrincham is more important than today's prestigious encounter, with York third in the Blue Square and with high hopes of ending their Football League exile, Foyle believes his team can pull off a giant-killing against Tony Pulis's men.

Not only are York on a trail-blazing run, but Stoke are without a victory since November 22 and have failed to score in five of their last six games.

The stage could be set for a close-run affair.

"Stoke have done fantastically well in recent years but FA Cup football is a funny thing and you never know what could happen on the day," added Foyle, who led York to last season's FA Trophy final.

"We're not going there just to make up the numbers; we're going there with every intention of getting a result.

"But the most important thing from my point of view is that we start the match strongly.

"Sometimes you can go into a game like this and find yourself 2-0 down before you actually start playing.

"We have to make sure we get up and at them right from the first whistle and that's the message I'll be looking to ram home."

That is not to say Foyle is underestimating the size of the challenge awaiting his side.

"James Beattie is on more money than our lads put together and Stoke have obviously got tremendous resources," he added. "We can't possibly compete with them in that respect. But the cup is traditionally a great leveller and we've been playing with a lot of confidence all season.

"If everything goes for us and we get stuck in, we might just be able to pick up a result."

Foyle, whose team will be roared on by more than 4,000 fans, stressed cup success was a bonus and that the league remained York's top priority.

"It's nice to get a few wins in the cup – not least from a financial perspective – but our bread-and-butter is most definitely the league," he said. "We're doing well at the moment and I believe we're capable of winning promotion.

"We don't have the resources of some clubs in our division, such as Oxford, Stevenage and Kettering, but we do have great spirit.

"Hopefully, that spirit can carry us through against Stoke and also help in our wider aim of getting back into the Football League."