Town boss Paul Cook says the Blues will be taking the FA Cup seriously this season and believes the side he picks to face Oldham Athletic at Portman Road in the first round tomorrow won’t be weakened by any changes he makes to the starting XI.
Speaking at the Fans’ Forum in June, Cook outlined the Blues’ approach to the various competitions during the season ahead: "This year we want to be promoted. There’s nothing else on our radar other than promotion.
"That’s top of the list. The FA Cup then is very much second in the list. Historically it’s a great competition to be in.”
He added: "The reality is [that the] league [is] unbelievably number one, FA Cup number two, Carabao Cup and then Papa John’s Trophy.”
At his pre-match press conference ahead of the Latics' visit, Cook was as usual keeping his cards close to his chest regarding his selection but insisted the competition remains one he won’t take lightly.
"Everyone wants managers to tell everyone their teams and different stuff. I can only reiterate how serious we are within the competition,” he said.
"We told our supporters at the start of the season when we’d be making changes. We told them the level of seriousness with which we’ll take each competition.
"We are approaching tomorrow’s game as if it’s the biggest game of our season and that will be reflected in the team selection.”
Following Saturday’s match, the Blues have another cup tie, the Papa John’s Trophy match against Colchester at Portman Road.
"I think for us, as I’ve said, and I don’t want to be giving teams away, I think it’s quite common knowledge how strong a squad we’ve got, 100 per cent,” Cook continued.
"If we were to make some changes tomorrow, does it weaken the team? I don’t think it does, but we are going into the game fully behind the competition and fully behind wanting to win, so we only take each game as it comes.
"I won’t look ahead until Tuesday to Colchester until after the Oldham game and, as I can only reiterate to our supporters, we want to win the game.”
Cook says he wants players battling for places and says his team tomorrow will illustrate the seriousness with which he is taking the FA Cup.
"I think one of the things that I’ve always tried to create at a football club is competition for places where you want lads hungry to come into the team and when they get picked to play a game and perform, your performance shows supporters that you’re ready to play,” he said.
"Certainly going into last week’s game at Plymouth, for example. To lose [Sone] Aluko, [Wes] Burns and [Janoi] Donacien, it’s just so unforeseen. Hayden Coulson had only just started training back with us, and the list goes on.
"The other night Cameron Burgess came on at left-back, so the reality for us is that we have got a strong squad. Within that, our record at the minute says that we are quite a free-scoring team.
"All I know and care about is what momentum does to any football club and when you get on a good run, you think that everything comes naturally and easy. And when you’re on a bad run, you absolutely think the opposite.
"So as I say, when the FA Cup comes along tomorrow, our team selection, as you’ll know when you get it at two o’clock, will show how we’re treating the competition. We want a cup run as simple as that.”
Town have won only one of their last 19 games in the FA Cup, the last-gasp 1-0 first round replay at Lincoln two seasons ago, while the Blues last home victory in the competition was the 3-0 success over Chesterfield in January 2009 under the management of Jim Magilton.
"You’ve got to be careful because what’s come into football over a period of time is the negativity towards cup competitions in English football,” Cook reflected when reminded of the Blues’ recent FA Cup record.
"Within that, the squad rotations that happen and some managers basically give up the game with their team selection, that’s the brutal truth of it. If you get through with that team, the reality is you probably didn’t want to get through.
"I think we made it quite clear with [CEO] Mark Ashton at the start of the season where our preferences lie. We are attacking the FA Cup, as simple as that.
"We could get beaten tomorrow and make it one win in 20, but it certainly won’t be through tinkering with teams.”
Cook wants to maintain the Blues’ momentum from their improving League One campaign by beating Oldham and starting a cup run.
"Imagine the euphoria at our club at the minute if we’d have won at Plymouth,” he continued.
"Our fans can’t wait to get behind us. We’ve learnt from early on in the season what winning does and also losing to West Ham at home [in the Papa John’s Trophy] and Newport at home [in the Carabao Cup]. I thought we played well against Newport, by the way, I’ve got to say that.
"For us now, we’re trying to create a culture at the football club where winning is important, the mentality towards winning is important and what it can do to our supporters.
"Our supporters, as you guys will know, good clubs have good support. We’ve got a dormant support at the minute that’s probably still a little bit out there watching us, yet the ones that are behind us are so behind us it’s untrue. We’re desperately wanting to win the game for them tomorrow. That’s all I can say.”