Reading tie has Bees 'buzzing' - Harborough chairman

The non-league Bees of Harborough Town are "buzzing" about the biggest match in their history.

With former Brazilian international Sandro set to make his debut in midfield and more than 3,000 fans - enough to pack out their Bowden Park home ground three times over - travelling to Reading, it's little wonder Sunday's FA Cup tie is "all people can talk about" in the Leicestershire village of Market Harborough.

"I don't think it's sunk in yet; it's unbelievable and certainly has caused a buzz around the town," Bees co-chairman Peter Dougan told BBC East Midlands Today.

Dougan has been involved with the club for almost four decades, having first played for them in 1985.

He started with the Bees when they played on park pitches in the centre of town, moved with them to their current home ground as they grew as a club in the 1990s, and was there as they endured the "tough times" after the turn of the century, which saw them cease to exist as Harborough Town as they merged with another local outfit before adopting their original name again in 2007.

Now they play the seventh tier in English football and are preparing for the biggest match of their 49-year existence when they travel to Reading to face the former Premier League club in the second round of the FA Cup.

"As a football club, we are looking forward to the day, and I'm immensely proud to be part of that," Dougan said.

Harborough are on the best FA Cup run they have ever been on.

They have already won five games, picking through four qualifying rounds before setting up the tie against League One side Reading by beating fellow non-league side Tonbridge Angels.

A day after being drawn against the Royals, Harborough grabbed even more attention by announcing that former Brazil and Tottenham midfielder Sandro would come out of retirement to play for the non-league side.

Harborough Town manager and Tottenham supporter Mitch Austin pulled off the the most unlikely transfer swoop of the year, and admits it still feels surreal.

"It's still a pinch me moment," Austin said.

"A lot of the attention has been on him, and he has given a lot back to us. He has to do the business on the pitch for us as well, and I have a lot of confidence that he can and that the boys around him will enjoy the moment."

Austin describes Harborough's cup feats so far this season as "something we didn't know we could achieve", but he has relished every moment and wants his players to do the same against a Reading side that are 104 places above them in the English football pyramid.

"I don't want it to end, and it will at some stage, but I'm trying to get another squeeze out of for the Reading game." Austin told BBC Radio Leicester.