Town midfielder Michael Collins has told htafc.com that is desperate to help his team through to the Third Round of the FA Cup this weekend with victory over Port Vale.
Vale, whose dramatic 4-3 victory at the Galpharm Stadium dumped the Terriers out of the Cup last season, will be a difficult contest but the possibility of playing Premier League opposition in the next round has got Collins and his team mates fired up for the clash at Vale Park.
"The FA Cup is the most prestigious cup in the world and it is a pleasure to play in," Michael told the Club's official website. "Hopefully this year we could go on a decent run.
"It means a lot to progress in the competition because for the lower league clubs it's almost like a bonus competition. It brings revenue and confidence amongst the players, especially if you manage to knock out a few of the teams in the divisions above, which is difficult - if you manage to do that then obviously it breeds confidence in to the players and off the back of that you tend to carry that in to your league form.
"We can't underestimate Port Vale though. They will be a difficult test and in many ways it is more difficult that going to some of the bigger clubs. They are going to be out to upset us and they're going in to it as the underdogs with nothing to lose.
"I'm sure come three o'clock on Saturday that all the boys will be geared up to progress to the Third Round."
Collins is also fully aware that his side must be at their best to make sure that they do not fall victim to a cup upset.
"Obviously we will go in to the game as favourites given our league position and form, but as we saw last season when we played Port Vale they are not to be underestimated.
"John McCombe (former Town defender) is still there who I speak to and they are quietly confident that they can turn us over. It is up to us to maintain our good run of form, the Swindon game aside - we are looking to put that right immediately. What better way is there to do that than in the FA Cup?"
Critics have begun to say that the FA Cup has lost its magic over recent years but Collins rejected this statement out of hand, explaining that the magic will forever live on in football's most sought-after trophy.
"I would like to think the competition still has its magic. it's certainly something that has been talked about ever since Manchester United dropped out that year, but to me it hasn't - it's still one of the Cup competitions where all the top teams still play full strength teams regardless to who they are playing and if it means a lot to them, it means the world to us below them.
"It was everything when I was young; I remember I used to love all the euphoria around the FA Cup, especially all the songs when teams made it to final. It was something that had a real buzz about it and I used to love FA Cup Final day. I want to go as far as we can."
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