Herne Bay skipper Luke Harvey tells his team mates: Give us everything and be our hero!

And with a little help from former Herne Bay boss Tommy Sampson – who guided Deal Town to Wembley glory back in 2000 – the Kent side need little motivation to send the Northern League club back home with their tails between their legs.

“Everyone’s looking forward to it,” Harvey, 24, a qualified electrician, who lives in Sittingbourne said on the eve of the massive Fourth Round clash.

“There seemed to be a nice buzz around the club at training last night, so the lads seem up for it, which is good.

Four-goal Harvey added: “I think no-one fears Whitley Bay to be honest.  We’re high in confidence at the moment.  Obviously we lost our first game in 19 games (away to Beckenham Town in the Kent Senior Trophy last week) so we’re going well.

“I think there’s no reason to fear anyone really.  We feel confident, I think it’s the case of getting nerves and excitement spot on really because if you get too excited you do silly things. If we get it spot on we’ve got every chance of winning this game.”

Tomorrow is the day for Herne Bay’s players to stand up and be counted and become the hero and Sampson has been constantly been on the phone to manager Simon Halsey and his players (including Harvey and eight-goal striker Byron Walker) to share advice.

Harvey said: “Tommy has been brilliant to be honest.  He just said to us basically it’s a day for heroes, someone who wants to take that opportunity, take it on their shoulders and push the team on.  It’s there for someone to be a hero, whether it’s getting that goal or making that challenge on the line to stop that goal or a keeper to make a great save.

“Everyone has got to stand up.  We have to have all eleven people and sixteen in the squad who want to be that hero.

Victory over Whitley Bay will send Herne Bay into the LAST 16 - the club has never gone any further than that.

The Arch is getting closer!

“It is a dream to play at Wembley, but I think it’s a bit early to start thinking about Wembley,” admitted Harvey.

“Even if we win tomorrow there’s a long time to go before we can start really thinking about Wembley.

“We obviously know it’s there at the end of the tunnel so it’s definitely something at the back of the mind, but we’ll take every game as it comes really.  It’s far too early to start thinking about Wembley.”

Harvey wants a glimpse of Sampson’s FA Vase winners’ medal before the game– the popular former manager has offered to leave it inside the home dressing room to use as a motivational tool.

The skipper said: “If you look at it you want to be there and you want to do it.

“If we do see it I think it will spur us on.  We had (former Herne Bay player) Jon Warden come in to training last night who was part of that Deal side and he said a few words to the lads, which was quite constructive, speaking about the day and it brings it into your mind that you can get there.  Everyone starts believing.”

With the Kent club expecting a crowd of over 1,000, Harvey insists the atmosphere will not phase his team-mates.

He said: “You look across our team we’ve got players that have played or can go and play at a higher level of football, which helps.

“There’s a lot of experience as well as youth – a lot of them are young players who have done quite a lot.  With youth as well you tend to have no fear when you go into the big games.

“You look at the lads that have come up there’s a lot of them that have come up through the reserves or grown up playing with each other.  I’ve known a lot of the lads for a good few years now, being at the club for a while, and I don’t honestly recall myself playing in a team with such a good spirit.  A lot of people socialise with each other out of football and I think that helps when you go onto the pitch as there’s an understanding.”

Herne Bay’s players must NOT have any regrets come the final whistle on Saturday afternoon.

When asked what he will tell his mates before the first whistle, Harvey replied, “We’ll get into a huddle, the first thing I will let everyone have their little say and I shall pop in at the end and I will say to them come ten to five tonight don’t walk off feeling you could have given a little bit more – leave everything out there for the club, the team, for everyone.

“Make sure you give every thing and you can’t ask for any more than that.

“If we get beaten by a better side you then hold your hands up but if we give everything and make the right decisions we can get the result.”

With inspiring words like that, surely it’s going to be a glorious day for Kent football and for Herne Bay Football Club.

Herne Bay have issued the following instructions to supporters:

The gate receipts are shared between the two sides. Therefore, everyone must pay for admission (FA rule) 
Adults £6.00, Concessions £3.00, Under 12 £1.00 
All adults will pay the appropriate full price 
Youth team passes will be honoured but without the adult concession. 
Special FA Vase edition programme £2.00 
Please arrive early to avoid waiting after the kick-off 
Please, please have the correct entry fee to assist with the gate operation 
Please leave your car at home if at all possible. The car park is likely to be full very early 

COME ON HERNE BAY - KENTISH FOOTBALL IS SUPPORTING YOU ALL THE WAY TO WEMBLEY GLORY!

www.kentishfootball.co.uk  will be covering this game

Visit Herne Bay’s website:  www.hernebayfc.net

Herne Bay  v  Whitley Bay
FA Carlsberg Vase Fourth Round
Saturday 22nd January 2011
Kick Off 3:00pm
At Winch’s Field, Stanley Gardens, Herne Bay, Kent CT6 5SG