by Pete Oliver

Sinnott played in Watford's 2-0 defeat by Everton

It may be 21 years since he played in the final, but Farsley Celtic manager Lee Sinnott is still living the FA Cup dream.

Sinnott was an 18-year-old defender in his first season with Watford when he experienced the disappointment of losing to Everton at Wembley.

Now as manager of a Unibond Premier Division side, his sights are set a little lower, but the ambition remains the same.

"The Cup is special to me and I have been quite fortunate in it," he said.

"Not that many people manage to get to a final and I had been in a final and two quarter-finals with Watford by the time I was 20.

"I want us to go as far as possible and I would love to make it to the third round.

"For some people at the top of the game it may have lost a bit, but it's still a special competition at this level."

So far, Sinnott has guided Farsley past Pickering Town, Bradford Park Avenue and Salford City, but Conference high-fliers Halifax stand between Farsley and a place in the first round proper.

The two clubs are less than a dozen miles apart and have played each other in various competitions over the years.

But this time the stakes are considerably higher, with the winners pocketing �10,000 and joining the League One and Two clubs in Saturday evening's draw.

The beauty of the competition is that there are always some strange results and it is up to us to try and pull one off Lee Sinnott

"The prize money would be beneficial but I just want to take the club as far as possible and what comes with that will happen," said Sinnott.

Farsley have saved their best form for the Cups this season, with last Saturday's victory in the FA Trophy following a run of three league defeats in which they conceded 11 goals.

The Throstle Nest outfit have enough big-game players to rise to the occasion as they visit a Halifax side unbeaten at home this season, with Jon Dyson, Lee Duxbury, Paul Rickers, Carl Serrant, Martin Pemberton and Rodney Rowe all having League experience.

"The beauty of the competition is that there are always some strange results and it is up to us to try and pull one off," he said.

After Watford, Sinnott had spells at Bradford, Huddersfield, Crystal Palace Oldham and Scarborough, but he always had one eye on a move into management.

"I knew in my mid-20s that I wanted to go into management and I got the equivalent of my 'A' badge at the age of 26," he said.

After three years coaching in the Leeds academy, Sinnott took up the reins at Farsley two years ago.

He works full-time overseeing all levels of football at the club where the lack of a shirt sponsor means the team has played recent games with 'this Space for Sale' emblazoned on their fronts.

But a win on Saturday could finally make people sit up and take notice.

"You can't beat exposure like that," he said.