Sheppey’s manager was reminded of an FA Cup First-Round incident he’d prefer to forget - added incentive to pull off a famous victory tonight.

Ernie Batten - the Sheppey boss - was a lethal finisher as a player but his shooting boots let him down when he stepped up to take a crucial penalty for Hastings United in their First Round proper match against Enfield back in the day.

More: ‘Preparing for the game has taken over my life!’

Batten was asked about that game on Wednesday night, as Sheppey held their press conference before the club’s big FA Cup match against Walsall tonight, which is live on ITV4.

Hastings were 1-0 down in the match played in November 1981, but were given a lifeline in the 89th minute after being awarded a penalty.

“I missed!” Batten reluctantly recalled. “We went onto lose 2-0, conceding a second in the 95th minute and so hopefully we can exorcise that demon as well!”

The FA Cup has always been a special tournament for Batten, having watched his beloved Sunderland in the 1973 final - a game he remembers for all the right reasons.

Sunderland won the match 1-0 thanks to Ian Porterfield’s 32nd-minute goal infront of an estimated crowd of 100,000 at Wembley.

Batten said: It’s the biggest memory (of the competition) for me but probably not one anyone can remember!

“I was there as a young boy after Charlton Athletic got me a ticket, because I was there at the time.

“(I remember) watching Ian Porterfield score that goal, Jim Montgomery making that wonderful double save and then Bob Stokoe (the manager) running on with his old trilby hat, falling off, that sort of stuff and then Bobby Kerr lifting the cup.

“Nobody thought Sunderland had a cat in hell’s chance that day, they were near the bottom of the second division, Leeds were the modern day Manchester City, then there you go, lowly old Sunderland, as they were, won the FA Cup.

“That created a magical thing for me with the FA Cup and an affiliation to it, something I will never forget and to now be involved at this level as a manager is really a dream come true.”

Batten returned to manage the Sheppey side this summer, having previously enjoyed cup success, picking up four trophies in one season, including the SCEFL League title.

This is just another highlight for the club which has continued to rise since reforming, having dropped out of the league a decade ago and starting back in the old Kent Invicta League.

And the manager, who is also a part owner of the club, is glad to be able to give some enjoyment to the people of the island.

He said: “I’ve spent the majority of my life here, I have lived here since the age of seven, been in business here and done okay. The island has been good to me.

“It has been an opportunity for me to give something back to the community, which I have really enjoyed.

“I have enjoyed managing, we have had some fantastic years here since we have reformed and it has been a steep upwards curve. As a family we get a big thrill out of it, football is part of our lives, it couldn’t be any better.”

While there has been plenty of hype about the fixture, Batten will be preparing his team as best he can to take on League 2 Walsall. The match tonight kicks off at 7.45pm.

His message to the players before kick off?

“It is a matter of staying calm,” he said.

“It is no good over-thinking the opposition, they are four leagues higher, they will be very top quality opposition for us.

“It is about playing our game and keeping a strong mind, being composed on the ball and not letting the occasion take over the performance. If we can do it, that will give us an opportunity.”

Captain Richie Hamill can’t wait, adding: “It has been a massive honour to captain the side, I have been here for five or six years now, something thrust upon me at the time but we have gone from strength to strength and grown as a team.

“Within the dressing room we are not too surprised we have got this far, we take it game by game but we know we are capable of beating anyone on our day.

“The Walsall challenge will be massive but it’s a one-off game, we fancy ourselves here against anyone. We will have to be at our very best but hopefully we can put on a show.”

Star striker Dan Bradshaw, meanwhile, will hope to feature following a back injury. He’s been training this week so is confident of playing a part.

With 133 goals in 163 games for the club, he’ll certainly be needed.

“The island has been buzzing,” said Bradshaw. “The community have been getting behind us, including the schools, the whole island is getting behind us, there is a real good feel-factor here.

“The morale in the squad is high and everyone is excited.

“This is massive, none of us have made it this far in the FA Cup before and I think everyone is excited.

“There aren’t much nerves, they are a massive club, four leagues above, there is no pressure on us, we will look to go out there and play our football and if we can do it right, it’s the FA Cup, who knows?”