Alex Browne and Alex Pike have vowed to let bygones be bygones by shaking hands after Wimborne’s historic FA Trophy match at home to Gosport tomorrow (3pm).

In January, Browne told the Echo he was shocked to learn Pike had been lined up to replace him in the Cuthbury hot-seat while he listened to a radio interview in his car driving home from a game.

Pike, manager of Gosport at the time, didn’t end up back at the club he’d previously led to FA Vase glory at the old Wembley in 1992.

He is still likely to get a rousing reception from older Wimborne fans with fond memories of their club triumphing under the Twin Towers.

Paul Miller, who tried to get Pike back on board, resigned as a Wimborne director in the aftermath of the debacle, although he’s now involved with the club again.

It would be fair to say Browne, who led Magpies to promotion to the Southern League, might not share the same enthusiasm for Pike’s return as some of Cuthbury’s faithful.

But asked by the Echo if he would shake Pike’s hand after tomorrow’s preliminary round clash, Browne said: “Yes, definitely.

“The whole thing’s history. It’s neither here nor there to me. Saturday is just another game.

“I’m sure people will look into it more deeply than they should, but to me we could be playing any team. I’m focusing on what happens on the pitch more than anything else.”

Asked if he’d shake Browne’s hand, Pike said: “I’ve got no reason not to.

“It wasn’t me that went looking for the job or applied for it.

“Wimborne’s board of directors thought they wanted to put a new manager in place. That never sat easily with me anyway.”

Pike, who had claimed 10 months ago that going back to Magpies “wasn’t the right time”, added: “Since then, I haven’t had any dealings with Alex Browne, but I have with (his assistant-manager) Darren Powell.

“In fact, I watched Bideford when they had Wimborne in the FA Cup earlier this season.

“I gave Wimborne a scouting report and it must have done them good because they won 2-1.”

Browne added: “It’s going to be quite a proud day for a lot of supporters and people around the club.

“It’s Wimborne’s debut in the biggest non-league cup competition.

“A lot was made about the Vase at Wimborne before. That’s history. We have a new era and it all starts tomorrow.”

Magpies: (from) Walker-Harris, Yelland, Curtis, Lloyd, McCormick, Green, Smith, Davidson, Barnes, James, Whitcher, Chudy, Groves, Stokoe, Wilson, Roast, Hutchings.