Town’s U18s take on Sunderland at the Stadium of Light in the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup tonight with a fifth round home tie against Newcastle United the prize awaiting the winners (KO 7pm).
Academy director Bryan Klug says the youngsters, who travelled up to the North-East yesterday, will learn from playing on such a big stage for the first time.
"It’s really good that it’s at the Stadium of Light,” he told TWTD. "It’ll be really good for them, so let’s hope they can perform.”
Klug believes the possibility of a local derby with Newcastle might have some impact on the Black Cats, who beat Fleetwood 4-0 in the previous round.
"Newcastle’s a good prize for whoever gets through," he said. "It would be nice for the boys to have a big night at Portman Road.
"It’s a kind of a big prize for Sunderland as well and it’s put a bit of pressure on them I would think because obviously it’s a local derby for them, so they’d want that.”
Debenham-based central defender George Fowler, a first-year scholar, is back in the squad having missed the third round game at Colchester, which Town won on penalties after a 0-0 draw.
"George Fowler played an hour on Saturday so he’s in the frame,” Klug said. "He’s been missing for most of the season but he’s a big player for us, so it strengthens us a little bit, especially with Matt Clarke being with the first team. It’s good to have George back at centre-half.
"Everybody else is raring to go, we just want to play a bit better than we did at Colchester.
"That was a horrible game, a difficult game. It will be a different game tonight. We just want to put in a performance, that’s all.”
The match gives the boys, who are coached by Gerard Nash and Alan Lee, a chance to avenge last season’s third round defeat to the Wearsiders, the tie having gone to a shoot-out after a 1-1 draw.
"It was a very even game last year, very competitive,” Klug recalled. "We’d like to think it’s going to be the same tonight and hopefully if it goes to penalties it drops down to our side instead of theirs. But it’s more important that the lads express themselves and enjoy the game.”
Squad from: McDermid, Hayes, Woolfenden, Daly, Smith, Fowler, Kenlock, Emmanuel, Jones, Benyu, Blanchfield, Dozzell, Ellis, Guldbrandsen, Patterson, McLoughlin, Ramadan, Ford, Ingram.