STEVE Wilkes sighed when he found out who his Northwich Victoria side would play in the FA Vase tomorrow afternoon.

And not because he doesn’t believe Vics can beat Cammell Laird.

Of course he does.

However the Birkenhead outfit, who visit Wincham Park for a first round encounter, wouldn’t feature near the top of a list of his favourite opponents.

“I owe them more than one,” he quipped.

“And have done since 1992 if I’m honest.”

He was part of a Bamber Bridge side, semi-finalists the previous season, that lost in the third round against Cammell Laird that year.

Wilkes scored an own goal, conceded a penalty and was later sent off in a 2-1 defeat after extra-time.

But that was just the start.

He was in the dugout for the first time as Padiham manager in August 2004 when the Storks hosted Cammell Laird on the opening day of a new season.

“I remember my wife Alison warning me not to do anything stupid,” said Wilkes.

“I told her not to worry, and then got myself sent off after 20 minutes.

“It was a long walk from the bench to the other side of field.”

Supporters of the visitors that day were only too happy to remind him when Padiham played the return at Kirklands in February.

Cammell Laird won 6-0, and went on to be promoted as champions.

“To be fair, they were a very good side,” said Wilkes.

“So, yeah, I’d love to get one over on them!”

Vics lost 3-2 when the teams met in a Cheshire FA Senior Cup tie last season too, although their side for the latest meeting will bear little resemblance to one that played last December.

They take to the field boosted by back-to-back wins in the North West Counties League against high-flying Silsden and then Squires Gate.

Home advantage matters too; they’ve won six of their past seven games at Wincham Park, drawing the other.

Meanwhile Wilkes was an interested observer when Cammell Laird’s impressive six-match winning run ended after a 1-0 defeat at neighbours Vauxhall Motors in a First Division Cup tie last Friday.

“I know it’s a cliché but we won’t underestimate them,” he added.

“They’re one or two players that can cause us problems, and it’s important we play to the standard we’ve set at home over the past few weeks.

“The FA Vase is massive for every club at our level; it’s the best chance these lads have of playing at Wembley.

“I was gutted to miss out, and it’s a competition that I’ve never had a good run in as a manager.

“It would be nice to change that, more so if we beat them [Cammell Laird] along the way!”