Tamworth vs Tottenham: FA Cup tie now part of town's history, says boss Andy Peaks
2025-01-10
Category: sports

Once upon a time Tamworth was a place arguably best known for its motorway service station, its pigs, its artificial ski slope, being the birthplace of a former Prime Minister and somewhere you pass through on the railway.It finally took a dream FA Cup third-round tie with eight-time former winners Tottenham Hotspur to change all that.No more talk about Tamworth Pigs, Sir Robert Peel and the Snowdome.No matter how Sunday lunchtime's tie with Spurs turns out on their all-weather pitch at The Lamb, Tamworth boss Andy Peaks says: "We're part of the town's history now."There has, of course, been a lot more to the Lambs' progress from footballing silence to what is still, outside the Premier League's very topmost echelons, the most eagerly-awaited weekend in the English football calendar.Three seasons ago, when former Rushden & Diamonds boss Peaks took over at Tamworth, they were languishing in tier seven - the Southern League Premier Central. He saved them from the drop, won promotion a year later and then a second promotion in May to win National League North and return to the fifth tier.He also readily admits, never mind what happens on Sunday, that staying in the National League this season "will be my biggest achievement in football".
Sunday's televised lunchtime tie in front of a slightly reduced capacity, sold-out 3,750 crowd, is now unquestionably the biggest day in the club's history, surpassing previous home Cup meetings with then second-tier sides Stoke City in 2006 and Norwich City in 2007 - and the trip to Everton at this same stage in 2012.They hope to make more than Â£250,000, with prize money for reaching this stage, television rights and extra sponsorship money all thrown in."We've been on a fantastic journey and it's one we're all proud of, " said Peaks. "And we've earned the right to be here."The club wasn't in a great place three years ago but there are smiles back on faces in the town and I'm really proud of that, seeing all the press, TV and radio here."We all love football, you just have to enjoy it. And we've worked so hard to get here, even against Robbie Savage's Macclesfield in the fourth qualifying round, against a full-time team. That was a real tough game."But we got through that, then the Huddersfield game live on the telly, Tom Tonks' long throw and all that, and then the local derby at Burton."
The AP Derby? Andy Peaks v Ange Postecoglou
Now for the AP Derby - Andy Peaks v Ange Postecoglou. A meeting of two of football's great talkers and nicest blokes.Once mighty Spurs, the 1961 Double winners. Now, arguably, this season's biggest top-flight headline makers, such has been the endlessly entertaining  stream of stories emanating from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium."We actually probably know more about Tottenham than we do any other team in our own league, as they're on the telly so often," admits Peaks."I've been down to watch two games at their place, Spurs have been as good as gold with us, including the first of their two games with Liverpool, when 6-3 probably flattered them as Liverpool were so good."But my assistant Neil Champelovier went on Wednesday night. I got in trouble with my wife for also watching it on TV but they played a lot better and probably deserved to win."Obviously we don't know what team they'll play on Sunday, but I don't think they'll be coming here wanting to lose. And there has already been great play about Ange wanting to win a trophy this season."
Then there are the personal connections."My best mate's a Spurs fan and so are some members of my own family," he said.So are two of his own team, Peaks was then told."Well they won't be playing then," he joked.To even up that score, however, defender Jordan Cullinane-Liburd, one of his regulars, is an Arsenal fan.There is also the issue of Spurs not only potentially having to face Tamworth's not-so-secret weapon, Tonks' long throws, but the artificial pitch. Could that be a leveller?Easy reply. "It would be more of a leveller on some of the mudheaps you get elsewhere at this time of year," said Peaks. "It's a very good surface."Fresh from signing a new contract to do the job on a full-time rather than part-time basis from now on, Peaks still makes it quite clear what remains this season's main priority for him and his team of part-timers, who include two bricklayers, a man inÂ IT, a building surveyor and a zip salesman."Staying in this league would be the biggest achievement," he said. "For a part-time club up against clubs with massive resources compared to ours."The money from the cup run can help the resources of the club in general, if spent the right way."But, if you're doing well in whatever game you're playing, it's all good for form and morale and all I really want is for the lads to give a good account of themselves."