Cherries: Howe targets fairytale FA Cup run (with video) (From Bournemouth Echo)

Cherries: Howe targets fairytale FA Cup run (with video)

2:47pm Thursday 1st November 2012 in Cherries News By Ian Wadley

BOSS Eddie Howe is hoping to lead Cherries to a place in FA Cup folklore after giving his backing to the historic competition.

Howe is keen to write his own piece of cup history by guiding the Dorset club to a fairytale run this season.

The Cherries manager believes the perception of the famous knockout tournament has changed in the current era.

Critics claim the value of the FA Cup has diminished with some of top-flight clubs opting not to field full-strength teams in the early stages.

But Howe is still a big FA Cup fan and he is determined to help Cherries progress this term.

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s first round clash with Dagenham & Redbridge at Goldsands Stadium (3pm), Howe told the Daily Echo: “When I was growing up as a kid of six, seven and eight years old, the FA Cup was the biggest competition in English football.

“The third round was a special day in the English calendar, the semi-finals were massive days in the football calendar and the final was the biggest of the lot really. The FA Cup final was one that everybody in the country stopped for. I do think that has changed now.

“With the Champions League and all the television coverage of different competitions, I think the perception of the FA Cup has changed.

“In my eyes, it will always be a very special competition because that was how it was perceived when I was growing up.

“As a manager now, it is still a competition that I want to get as far as I can in. You never know, there are still a lot of great stories told in the FA Cup and we want to try to be one of those this year.

“But it will be a challenge to get past the first round and we will go from there.”

Meanwhile, Howe says Cherries are still waiting to discover if they will be allowed to use Southampton loan striker Lee Barnard in the cup.

Cherries have granted Dorchester Town permission to select loan frontman Jordan Chiedozie for their first round tie against Plymouth on Sunday.