WARRINGTON Town skipper David Mannix is dreaming of an emotional return to Anfield.

The Yellows captain spent 10 years at Liverpool, five of those training with the first team, even travelling as part of a 30-man squad to Istanbul for the Champions League final success of 2005.

However, to keep that aspiration alive he and his Town teammates must first beat Conference outfit Gateshead in the FA Cup second round on Sunday.

“We set our sights on a big Football League team,” he explained. “But as soon as Gateshead came out in the draw we thought we were in with a chance of getting through to the third round, when the Premier League clubs come in.

“Any Premier League team and the lads would be made up, but I’m a massive Liverpool fan and so are all my family.

“I was there for 10 years and to go back to Anfield would be a dream come true.”

A lot has changed since the 29-year-old left Anfield in 2007 and he always felt facing former teammate Steven Gerrard and co was a very distant prospect.

“The players and coaching staff change that much I think it’s only Steven left,” he said. “I know some of the backroom staff, the physio and kit man.

“For me to go back would be, from a personal point of view as I was there for so long, something I didn’t ever expect to do as a player.”

A potential meeting with a Premier League giant is still a long way off for eighth-tier Town, but Mannix will lead out a Yellows side brimming with confidence at The Gateshead International Stadium.

“We’ll go there with a lot of confidence and we’ll go to win the game,” added the midfielder.

“We’ve looked at the ground and it’s got the running track so the fans will be quite far away. During the first round against Exeter the atmosphere was like a 12th man.

“Going away will be a different experience but we’re hoping to take a lot of Warrington fans and I’m sure they’ll be behind us.”

The former Accrington Stanley man continued: “We played Stockport County in the Cheshire Cup on the Tuesday after the FA Cup.

“We’d normally get about 150 people, but it was touching 400, which is good for a cold Tuesday night.

“That’s what we’re hoping for with the league fixtures now and hopefully we’re beginning to show signs of that.”

The Yellows will also be boosted by news Mannix’s close friend and vice-skipper Craig Robinson being available after a two-match ban.

“We’re really close. We travel in together and he will always give me advice and vice versa. He doesn’t just bring a lot to the team as a player; he’s a big character too.

“To lose him for the biggest game in Warrington Town’s history would have been a big disappointment.”

The Winsford-born football coach enjoyed a proud moment walking Town out on live television against Exeter, along with sons Shay, six, and Cruz, four, and is looking forward to doing so again on Sunday.

“It was great walking the lads out and I had my two boys as mascots,” he said.

“They just take it in their stride, as they get older they’ll probably look back and think it was a good time being on telly.

“But Warrington have got a lot of potential and it gets overshadowed a bit by the rugby league. Now people are starting to notice us and to be captain of that is pleasing.”

* Don't miss a free colour poster backing the Yellows and a full preview to the FA Cup date with Gateshead in this week's Warrington Guardian.

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