Harborough Manager Austin Emphasizes Belief for FA Cup Upset Bid

Harborough Town manager Mitch Austin, who signed an 18-month contract extension in January, has highlighted the significance of belief to his team. This emphasis comes as the club prepares for its FA Cup first round match against Tonbridge Angels on Saturday. The Bees secured their spot in this round by defeating Bury 1-0 earlier in the month, a victory that has generated considerable excitement in Leicestershire. Austin conveyed to BBC Radio Leicester that “Belief is an important thing in all aspects of life.” Despite Tonbridge playing in the sixth tier of English football, one division higher than Town, Austin stated that this difference has not impacted his team’s match preparations. He acknowledged, “It’s going to be very tough and, on their pitch, the odds are against us but it’s the FA Cup, anything can happen.” Austin further elaborated on his approach, stating, “There is a fine line between belief and being a bit deluded so we’ve got to set the players up to see why we believe we can be successful.” Harborough Town has already achieved a historic milestone by reaching the FA Cup first round proper for the first time since the club’s establishment in 1975. Nevertheless, Austin maintains a quiet confidence that the club’s FA Cup journey is not yet complete. He remarked, “We’ve made history, but think about what the next one will feel like.” Centre forward Tendai Daire has also expressed his ambition for a potential upset. He informed BBC Radio Leicester, “I think everyone’s going to naturally up their game because we all want to be in the starting 11 and one thing about this club, you’re not guaranteed to start, you have to work for it.” Daire added, “We know we have to push each other and we want the best team out there.” He also noted, “But also, if you know that it’s not your time to start, that’s OK, because you’re going to get the opportunity to come on and make a difference for the team and for the club.” Daire rejoined Harborough Town from Leicester Road in December 2023. He had previously been part of the squad that achieved promotion to the Northern Premier League Midlands Division, and he stated that matches such as the upcoming Saturday fixture are precisely why he came back to the club. “To be on Match of the Day? I’ve been dreaming about that moment,” he shared. Daire continued, “I’d love to chip in and obviously get my goal but we just can’t wait to get on the pitch and embrace the moment.” Tonbridge is the sole obstacle preventing Town from advancing to the second round. The Angels’ captain, Scott Wagstaff, is a midfielder who boasts more than 300 football league appearances. The former Charlton Athletic and Gillingham player, Scott Wagstaff, conveyed to BBC Radio Kent, “I think we’ve got to embrace it and enjoy the occasion.” He added, “We know it’s a big occasion for the club but we don’t want to bring too much nerves for the boys – it’s going to be a great crowd.”