GOOD afternoon everyone and welcome to one of the traditionally great occasions in our football calendar.
Manchester United will forever be one of the biggest names in world football, never mind British football, and I know there will be many out there still pinching themselves at the thought that Stoke City are competing on the very same pitch by right.
Not that we will be bowing and scraping this afternoon, much as we respect United as football club and as a football team.
You don't need me to list all their achievements down the years, but we should use that as an inspiration to try and make a name for ourselves this afternoon.
I know this stadium will be the noisiest in the country for 90 minutes today and I'm sure our lads will respond like they have more often than not at this place over the last couple of years.
I'd like to extent a particularly warm welcome to Sir Alex, Mike Phelan and the rest of their staff for today's game.
I hope our hospitality will be second to none off the field, but he wouldn't expect anything less than a frosty welcome on the field.
When you talk of United being a great club, you are inevitably including Sir Alex in that compliment.
For he has been instrumental in turning them into a world-class football team during his 20-odd years at the helm.
His energy, his passion and his longevity are an example to all us young pups out there in the managerial world.
To have remained at the top of his profession for so long really is a testament to him as a manager and a character.
His team is studded with world-class players, but we have proved over the past couple of years that reputations shouldn't frighten us.
We know we have to be at our very best - from the first minute to the 100th - while hoping United don't capitalise on the moments any top-four team is bound to enjoy in any Premier League game.
We have to be strong, mentally and physically, disciplined in our organisation, constant in our concentration and try to take the chances when they come along at the right end of the pitch.
I'm pretty sure Sir Alex will put out his strongest-available side, even with a European game coming up in midweek, and we must take that as a compliment.
In fact, you our fans should take that as a compliment as well because we all know the part you've played in making the Britannia such a horrible place for visiting teams.
It will be hard, bloomin' hard against Manchester United, but by no means impossible.
We gave them a good run for their money last Boxing Day, now let's push them even further this time.
Let's get out there and give it a bloody good shot.
Let's hear that roar... louder than ever.
TONY
