PALS ASK: WHERE’S WHALLEY’S TICKETS FOR UNITED GAME?
SHAUN WHALLEY doesn’t need telling Shrewsbury have landed the tie of the FA Cup fifth round with Manchester United – all his mates want tickets!
League One Salop, who scored a 97th-minute goal to beat Championship side Sheffield Wednesday 3-2 in a fourth round thriller last weekend, will welcome the Premier League giants to the Greenhous Meadow on Monday, February 22 in front of the live TV cameras.
Winger Whalley is enjoying the best cup run of his career and he can’t wait to take on Rooney and pals in front of a sell-out crowd.
“This is the furthest I’ve been in the FA Cup,” Whalley said. “And not only is it the best run I’ve had, but this is the biggest team I will have played against. I’ve not been too lucky with draws in the past. So this is going to be a great day.
“It would have been a great occasion to go to Old Trafford, because it’s such an incredible stadium. But even though our home form has been patchy, a home draw is great for the fans. I’m sure it will be a sell-out.
“I’ve had a lot of requests for tickets, but the details haven’t even been confirmed yet, so all that will have to wait.”
Championship title-chasers Hull City have been drawn against Arsenal for the third successive season – just as Gunners loanee Isaac Hayden predicted.
The 20-year-old defender and club-mate Chupa Akpom will have to sit out of the tie at their parent club.
Hayden said:“I saw Arsenal’s number come out and knowing they were at home, I just had a funny feeling about what was coming.
“Then ball number 15 came out and I was just like… (sigh)… Obviously the two sides have been drawn together a few times now so it didn’t come as too much of a surprise.
“That’s just the luck of the draw and we just have to go out there and give it our best shot.”
Blackburn Rovers have to wait until Tuesday night to find out their Premier League opponents. Paul Lambert’s men will host the winners of Liverpool and We s t Ham United’s replay.
Reading, who reached last season’s semi-final, face We s t Brom or Peterborough at their Madejski Stadium home.
Leeds United are set to travel to Watford and boss Steve Evans reckons they are facing a different beast to the one that won promotion from the Championship last season.
“I watched them on Wednesday night and they gave Chelsea a bit of a battering for 60 minutes,” Evans said.“It was over the hour mark before Chelsea had a shot on target. Watford could have been three or four-up – they are a much better team than when they were in the Championship, with much better players.”