by Andrew Gidley

Dover manager Martin Hayes has revealed he could have joined FA Cup third round opponents Huddersfield if things had turned out differently in his younger days.

Arsenal accepted a £25,000 bid for him in September 1986, and he had talks with the West Yorkshire club, but, aged 20 at the time, he rejected the move. The following month he came off the Arsenal bench to score against the Terriers in a 3-1 aggregate Littlewoods Cup win, with the Gunners going on to beat Liverpool in the final at Wembley.

Hayes (pictured) recalled: "George Graham had arrived as manager (at Arsenal) but deemed me surplus to requirements.

"I was told it would be in my interests to talk to them, and spoke to (manager) Mick Buxton, but I had just moved into a new house, so turned them down and, in a little ironic twist, it was that goal which helped revive my Arsenal career.

"I still have a little look at Huddersfield's results, because you never know what might have been, and it will be nice to go back there."

He added: "The draw was a little bit of an anti-climax, but on reflection it gives us an opportunity, albeit a small one, to dream of the fourth round."