Everything Chichester City's management duo are saying ahead of the FA Cup tie at Tranmere

Miles Rutherford is promising to smile all the way to Tranmere and home again / Picture by Kate Shemilt

Chichester City players will be told two things before they walk out to play the biggest game of their lives on Sunday: Work hard – and enjoy it.

With the good wishes of the whole city of Chichester behind them, they will be taking on League One Tranmere Rovers – who play five divisions above them – in front of a live TV audience at Prenton Park.

Whatever happens, City’s Cup run has been remarkable. They’ve won through six qualifying rounds and been handed a first-round bye to become the first team for 70 years to go all the way from the extra preliminary round to this stage.

It’s been memorable - but they don’t want it to end just yet.

Graeme Gee has yet to plan what he will say to the players before they trot out at Tranmere / Picture by Kate Shemilt

Manager Miles Rutherford and his assistant Graeme Gee have split the build-up between praising their achievements so far - and telling them to focus on making the most of Sunday’s huge occasion.

Asked how they had managed to get to the second round, Rutherford said: “I don’t really know, if the truth is known. We’ve had a lot of luck and a lot of determination from the players. It’s great credit to everyone at the club. No one can really believe we’re in the second round.

“We were not expected to do anything near where we have. Not one of our players is on a contract, which shows where we’re at.

“We were playing county league football last year and are in the second round of the FA Cup now. It’s unbelievable.

“When we played Enfield (in the third qualifying round) we had a little luck in that they had a few players missing. But the players were very good against Hartley Wintney and Bowers and Pitsea.

“There wasn’t a lot between us and those teams on the day but this one’s a little bit different. Tranmere train every day, but our players go to work and football is a second thing.

“We’ll prepare as well as we can. The two coaches will do what they can and Graeme and I will try to gee the players up. All we ask is that they give us as much as they can and hard work.

“The run is fantastic for the club. It’ll probably keep us going for three years. At the start of the season we didn’t know if we’d have enough money to last the year.”

Before the team run out at Prenton Park, Rutherford will ask for them to work hard.

“I always ask for as much hard work as they can give us. Graeme’s different - he will rally them up in a different way. For me it’s about giving everything you’ve got and I hope they do that on the day.

“Look at the sides out of the Cup. Sunderland are out but little old Chichester are in it and that’s an achievement. We know it probably won’t happen again.