Sone Aluko is in line to make only his second start of the current campaign when non-league Maidstone United pay their first-ever visit to Portman Road tomorrow with a place in the fifth round of the FA Cup the tantalising prize on offer for victory.

Aluko, who turns 35 next month, was a beaten finalist in the world’s oldest knockout competition 10 years ago when he was playing for Hull and came off the bench in the 75th minute of the Tigers’ 3-2 defeat, after extra time, to Arsenal.

That’s an experience that none of the other players on duty at tomorrow’s tie can match and it is refreshing to hear the veteran winger or midfield man talk so positively about the FA Cup at a time when, sadly, it seems to lose a bit more of its sparkle and shine with every year that passes.

“It’s a great competition, the FA Cup,” he said. “I had some great days, like that cup run in 2013/14 and some not so good days.

“It’s a part of football and it has been part of my journey. That was a great time and we had a great run that year, one that I’d like to repeat.”

That may sound overambitious on Aluko’s part but by tomorrow afternoon Town could be in the fifth round and then, if the draw is kind, they might be able to progress further, as countless unfancied sides have been able to do in bygone years.

Asked if it was a boyhood dream to play in the final, Aluko replied: “Every day for me has been a boyhood dream. With the experiences I’ve had, I never thought I’d get to those levels.

“Even some of the frustrating times, like when you don’t win the FA Cup final or you get relegated from the Premier League, it’s still the things dreams are made of.

“I’ve had 17 years, give or take, in my professional football career and that’s a long time and tomorrow will be another one of those days I’ll look back on with fond memories.

“Back in 2014 I remember how difficult it was to get tickets for the amount of people who called me, many of whom I had not spoken to in a long time. If we get back to that stage I’ll deal with it a lot earlier this time.

“There was the whole build-up, which gave us a boost for our league form as well. If you have a good cup run it keeps training sharp for everyone in and around it. Good cup runs are good for the whole squad.”

Aluko knows his days as a professional are numbered but he clearly loves being involved at Portman Road, where he is valued beyond his ability as a player, even if he has played just three minutes of league football – as an 87th minute replacement for Omari Hutchinson in the goalless home draw with QPR a month ago – this season.

Asked if he could still contribute in what remains of the Championship programme, with Town currently occupying the second automatic promotion spot, he responded: “Yes, for sure. If I wasn’t I’d tell the manager to just pay me up. I wouldn’t want to just waste a shirt so whenever he’s ready to use me – and he trusts me – he knows I’ll be ready to play.”

Hounslow-born Aluko’s career, which started at the Birmingham City academy, has also seen him play north of the border for Aberdeen and Rangers, as well as Blackpool (loan), Hull, Fulham, Reading and Chinese club Beijing Renhe (loan) before he became a Town player in August 2021.

Since then he has made a total of 61 appearances and scored four goals in all competitions, and he is among several members of manager Kieran McKenna’s senior squad set to feature in tomorrow’s clash with the sixth-tier Stones, the lowest-ranked club still in the competition and set to be cheered on by more than 4,800 fans.

But despite only playing a brief role this season, mainly in the Carabao Cup and as a late substitute in Town’s 3-1 third round win at AFC Wimbledon, he insisted: “I’m enjoying the season. The start we had was incredible, to be honest. The boys have been in great form and I knew, coming into the season, that I wouldn’t be playing every game.

“If I’d wanted to, I would have gone somewhere else. The manager was clear about that but he has other things that he wants me to do and helping in many other ways. It has been great fun and at this stage of my career a learning experience. I’ve learned a lot this year and hopefully that will continue.”

Aluko admitted it can be difficult to stay sharp and still make an impact when called upon, adding: “It is hard because you don’t know when the opportunity is going to come and keeping match fit when you’re not playing matches is the hardest thing for any footballer to do.

“It’s tough but we train incredibly hard here and I’ve always looked after myself, so it’s been okay. Fulham would have been my last game that I started and I thought I did alright in that game to be fair. Hopefully tomorrow is another opportunity for me to play and hopefully I’ll play well.”

One of the main features of Town’s season has been the clever use of his senior squad by boss McKenna, the way subs Hutchinson and Jeremy Sarmiento helped to secure a 1-1 draw in Monday’s away clash with league leaders Leicester the latest in a long line of examples.

Aluko continued: “It’s testament to how good our squad is that we’re able to make these substitutions and they can have an impact straight away.

“No team scores more goals than us from the bench and that shows again that we can change players and they know their jobs, they know their roles, whether that’s defensively or attacking-wise.

“We see out games well, we make an impact off the bench and like I said we score goals off the bench. We have a lot of talent in those areas and there’s still a lot to come from them.

“When you’re young the ceiling is unknown still. They are two top young players with a lot of talent and ability, and if they can put it all together, stay humble, keep working hard and keep learning, who knows how far they can go? There’s a lot of potential there.”

Asked if he could recall being in a similar position to Hutchinson and Sarmiento, both rising stars whose journey is only just starting, Aluko and said: “For me it was 14 or 15 years ago now and they’re good times when everything is ahead of you. Like I said, you’re learning every day, new challenges and new competitions, playing against different defences, different shapes and styles of play.

“It’s a fun time but to be honest, and even at my age I’m still learning every day and I’m still enjoying it as much as I did back then. It’s a pleasure to be a footballer and real privilege, one that I will never take for granted.”

Aluko, who enjoys playing a part in the young players’ progress, smiled: “They keep me young! Some of the things they talk about, I’m like ‘What on earth are you guys discussing?’ They are always asking me for advice, whether it’s off the field stuff, tactical stuff, how I see the picture at half-time or what’s going on in the game.

“That’s one thing the manager is quite keen on, for me to be a bit of a mentor to them. It’s only when people mention the age gap that I really, really feel it. It’s a good time to be around them.”

Asked if he had a mentor when he was starting out in the game, Aluko added: “There were a couple but probably not in the way that I am with the young guys here. Times have changed, you know, and football has moved on in terms of the dynamic between older and younger players.

“Today it’s very different, so I do things differently to the way it was done towards me, which was more stick rather than the carrot.

“It’s changed a lot and a different dynamic now – they joke and call me Uncle as a nickname now, which is cheeky of them, but I’m very warm with them and they can speak to me any time.

“I’ll offer them advice, any time, if I feel they need it or if they need to be corrected sometimes. I’ll also give them outside things too, so we try to get the right balance and hopefully I’m doing a good job.”

Photo: TWTD

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