WILDER: CUP GLORY A BIG DEAL FOR TOP CLUBS AGAIN

CHRIS WILDER believes English football’s glamour boys have rekindled their love affair with the FA Cup.

The prestige of the game’s oldest and most famous knockout competition has taken a battering down the years, most hurtfully when

Manchester United snubbed the chance to defend the trophy, choosing instead to take part in the inaugural FIFA

Club World Championship in

Brazil, in 2000.

But Shefield United boss Wilder (right) said: “The most important thing is that the top teams are treating the tournament with the respect it deserves again.

“For a few years, the magic of the FA Cup was lost. But it’s back now, and that’s good to see. The attitude of the big clubs has changed, and they see winning it as being a successful season. “That was certainly the case with Arsenal last year, and for Manchester City too when they won it under Roberto Mancini (against Stoke in 2011, above).

“You could see by their celebrations that they rated it as a big, important triumph – and that has been reinforced by the strong teams the big boys have been putting out this season. “I look at Leicester now, and I expect them to put out their A-team and be as strong as they possibly can be, because they will see the FA Cup as a real opportunity to win silverware this year. “Of course, I’d love it if they picked a load of kids from their youth team against us, but I reckon it’s much more likely that we’ll be facing Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez!

“But that’s the reality with the way the big guns view the cup now. And, of course, it makes it a little bit tougher for the rest of us.”

Wilder refuses to write off their chances of achieving a shock.

He added: “Leicester are in good form, so it’s all set up for them to go through. But there is still a glimmer of hope that it can be our day.

“We are not going there just to make up the numbers. We want to make sure they come out of it knowing they’ve been in one hell of a game.”