From non-league managers plotting an upset to the north-west’s fastest mascot and the son of a former Cup winner, we speak to some of the characters who make the third round special

Barrow: Andrew Casson

The son of Barrow’s owner, Paul Casson, he oversees the club’s commercial and financial operations

Although I was born in Texas, my father had been brought up in Barrow before moving to the States. Our family always followed English football and returned to Cumbria for holidays a couple of times a year, so the FA Cup was a big part of my childhood. I grew up as a Newcastle United supporter and, much as I can’t wait for Saturday and Rochdale to arrive at a sold-out Holker Street, my dream was to be drawn away at St James’ Park. Now I’m hoping that will happen in the fourth round!

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My first memories of the FA Cup are getting into a few fights with my brother, a Manchester United fan, and my dad, a Liverpool supporter, over Newcastle’s lack of success, so it’s a dream to think the FA Cup trophy will physically be with us here at Barrow on Saturday and the BBC will be broadcasting much of its coverage including Football Focus from our ground. It is the first time we’ve sold out since my father bought the club in 2014 and we’re hoping that some of the newcomers in the 4,400 crowd will stick with us, realise we’re worth watching and help cheer us back into the Football League.

While there’s no doubt this tie against Rochdale is the highlight of our time at Barrow, we hope it won’t be the biggest moment of 2017 as our longer-term aim is to get this club back into the Football League for the first time in 45 years. Under our manager, Paul Cox, we’d been on a 26-game unbeaten run until our 4-1 New Year’s Eve defeat at Gateshead and we’re sixth in the National League. Going unbeaten for so long means the atmosphere and energy around the club is absolutely incredible. To get to the third round we’ve already beaten Tranmere, Taunton and Bristol Rovers so we can’t wait for Rochdale – and then maybe Rafael Benítez and Newcastle away next time.” LT

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Andrew Casson is the son of Barrow owner Paul Casson, whose side’s lengthy unbeaten run ended on New Year’s Eve at 26 matches. Photograph: Barrow FC

Stourbridge: Gary Hackett

Locally born 54-year-old former Stoke and West Brom winger has been the club’s manager since 2003. Stourbridge are the lowest-ranked team left in the FA Cup

Wycombe is by far the biggest game in the club’s history. To have been in the third-round draw with the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal was amazing – it’s so exciting for everyone at the club, the town and all our fans. It’s a massive achievement and, as a local boy, I feel very proud. The club was founded in 1876 so to get to the third round for the first time is a magnificent achievement. We’re taking 2,200 fans to Wycombe and I’m sure the atmosphere will surprise their supporters. When I see my family in the ground I’ll have to pinch myself that it’s actually happening. Hopefully it’ll be a day for my children to always remember.

Our squad includes bank managers, teachers and personal trainers and the day jobs mean we’re all very busy – I run a chemical distribution business dealing largely with the food industry and being my own boss helps but it’s still a lot of work – so, unusually, we’re staying in a hotel near Marlow on Friday night. Wycombe are doing very well in League Two but we beat League One Northampton in the second round and it will be very interesting to see how my players do. There are quite a lot of semi-professionals who are good enough to have had professional careers but don’t want to risk giving up good jobs or seeing their income drop, so the gap between non-league and league can sometimes be exaggerated.

This week has all felt a bit unreal – in between dealing with my business clients and training we’ve been talking to BBC, ITV, Sky and various national newspapers. I could moan about it but when I’m back to my weekly phonecall with the Stourbridge News I’ll remember how fantastic it all was. But, before that happens, I hope we’ll play West Brom at The Hawthorns in the fourth round. LT

Sutton United: Bobby Childs

First-team sports therapist and business development manager at the National League club with special responsibility for the revenue stream from the club’s 3G pitch

We've got a hardcore of around 120 fans who follow us everywhere – this is one of those days that makes it worthwhile

Someone once said that, in non-league football, 90% of the time things can be a bit rubbish but you put up with it because the other 10% is absolutely brilliant. At this level these are the days you live for. Our fans who followed us to Boreham Wood in late November, saw us lose and, due to a train strike, didn’t get back home until around 2.30am, will know the feeling so let’s hope it’s going to be a great day. We’re sold out and we’ll have a 5,000-plus crowd at Gander Green Lane against AFC Wimbledon but we’ve got a hardcore of around 120 fans who follow us everywhere away, rain or shine and this is one of those days that makes it all worthwhile for them.

One thing is certain: the three bars we’ve got at the club are all going to be exceptionally busy and aiming for record takings; the only problems are fitting everyone who wants a drink into the small spaces – and whether our staff will be able to pull pints quickly enough to keep up with the demand.

Fortunately the physio side of things hasn’t been too overworked; we’ve only got one injury and I get a lot of support from my assistant and fellow sports therapist Catherine Chambers, who is also the club’s massage therapist. Players at this level are much more knowledgable about their bodies and managing injuries than they used to be and look after themselves a lot better than in the past; that really helps us.

Saturday will bring back memories of the 1988-89 season when we beat Coventry City [then in the top tier and FA Cup winners 18 months earlier] 2-1 here. Micky Stephens, who is still with us as assistant to our manager Paul Doswell, played in that game and, even though AFC Wimbledon are doing very well in League One, we want to have another great day. Then I’d like Tottenham. LT

Eastleigh: Martin Allen

Eastleigh’s manager since the start of December, he returns to Brentford, whom he led to the fifth round of the FA Cup in 2005 and 2006

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Martin Allen, the Eastleigh manager, is the cousin of FA Cup finalists Clive Allen and Paul Allen. Photograph: Pete Burns/ProSports/Rex/Shutterstock

The FA Cup will always be special to me: I watched my cousin Paul Allen become the youngest player to play in an FA Cup final at Wembley, turning out for West Ham in 1980. I saw my cousin Clive play for QPR against Tottenham at Wembley in 1982. To see both my cousins doing that, it whet my appetite but increased the pressure on me to succeed.

It’s the first time I’ve been back to Griffin Park with a team and I think it’s going to be pretty special. The crowd used to be very supportive – we had a fantastic rapport. They are working-class supporters at Brentford, they’re certainly not your prawn sandwiches lot. They are more burger and a pint, more my kind of people. My time there as manager, from 2004-06, was, without a shadow of a doubt, the best two years of my career.

It’s going to be a 1,600 sellout in the Eastleigh end. The growth at the club in the last three years has been unbelievable. For my players Saturday is an opportunity to play at a Championship club, and they know nothing about my past and my special times at Brentford. I never have talked to them about what I used to do, because I used to lack discipline, I used to abuse referees, I used to kick opponents and I used to do everything I don’t want my players to do now.

I went to watch Brentford last weekend and thought: “Oh my God, how we going to get anything from here?” They are top-quality, international players. I’m just hoping and praying they sell Scott Hogan. We’ve got 15 available players, four substitutes. We’ve got five players cup-tied, six out injured. We’ll give it our best shot – as we know in football, especially in the FA Cup, strange things can happen. MB

Fleetwood Town: Devante Cole

The striker is the son of the former England striker Andy Cole

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Devante Cole and his team-mates at League One Fleetwood are looking forward to taking on the Championship club Bristol City. Photograph: Richard Martin-Roberts/CameraSport via Getty Images

My dad won the FA Cup in 1996 and 1999 with Manchester United, but in 1996 I was only a year old, so they’re only distant memories for me. He’s obviously talked to me about the FA Cup and what a huge competition it is, and how important it was to him, but I don’t think his achievements have any bearing on me. What I achieve is what I achieve.

We’re on a good unbeaten run of 11 games at the moment, and we’ve got into the play-off places for the first time, but the Cup isn’t something that is going to interrupt our league campaign. On my personal list of priorities the FA Cup is very high – like anyone else you grow up watching the FA Cup and you want to do well in it, but the league, getting into the play-offs and getting promoted is always going to be the most important thing right now, as anyone will tell you. But all the lads are buzzing for it. It’s a big game where we can show what we can do. Everyone looks for the draw and hopes to get a big team. We’re playing Bristol City, which is where my dad played for a couple of years before I was born, but it’s just a little link.

I scored two goals in the second round to get us here, and working with Uwe Rösler has been a big help. He coached me in the youth team at Manchester City, so he knows my game and what I’m all about. When we’re in training sessions he says things that make me think: “Yeah, he used to be a striker.” That sort of thing definitely helps a lot. NM

Blackpool: Bloomfield Bear

Club mascot

Facebook Twitter Pinterest The Blackpool mascot Photograph: John Rushworth/Action Images

My dad was the mascot before me, and then I took over a few years ago. So the suit has been in family for about 12 years and I’ve been doing it for the last three. I’m the fastest mascot in the north-west, after winning a race at Lancashire Cricket Club. They have a national mascot race as well at Wetherby racecourse. My dad did it once but he’s a bit older than me, so he didn’t win it.

Outside of racing them, I rarely clash with other mascots. I had a silly scrap with the Fleetwood mascot last year. But before me and my dad did it, the Bloomfield Bear once had its shoes ripped off and lobbed into the crowd by the Oldham mascot.

This season Gary Bowyer has come in as manager and done quite a good job – I think the fans appreciate what he is doing. He’s signed some experienced players like Danny Pugh, and Kyle Vassell is scoring goals. Hopefully we’ll push for the play-offs in League Two. We haven’t had an FA Cup run for a while. No disrespect to Barnsley but it’s not Manchester United, and it’s more about the league at the moment.

The Blackpool mascot does have history with the FA Cup. Back in 1953, when we won the thing, our mascot was a real live duck called Douglas. Despite advice from Stanley Matthews, the founder of the original supporters’ group The Atomic Boys – Syd Bevers – smuggled Douglas into Wembley for the final and even drove to Downing Street afterwards, wearing a bright tangerine cloak and FA Cup headdress, to give Winston Churchill some Blackpool rock! Later, in 1961, before an FA Cup tie, a Scunthorpe United fan dressed as a butcher stole our duck [the successor to Douglas, named Puskas] and threatened to lop his head off, although Syd got him back in time. MB