If Sheffield United beat Tottenham Hotspur, it would be a boost for the FA Cup

One of seven teams from outside the Premier League to qualify for the fifth round, which begins tonight, United know a Herculean effort will be required in order for them to beat the visitors from north London.

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But Heckingbottom’s men have progressed to the quarter-finals in two of the past three years and, with the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool already bowing-out of this season’s tournament, there is a strong possibility that a club from outside the top-flight could appear in the showpiece event at Wembley - depending upon the draw unfolds.

Although he admits that securing promotion back to the Premier League is United’s priority, Heckingbottom told The Star ahead of their fourth round victory over Wrexham that the world’s most prestigious domestic knockout competition should be viewed more favourably by a generation of supporters who have been hoodwinked into believing that money is more important than winning trophies.

He returned to that theme ahead of the meeting with Spurs, suggesting that seeing an unfancied name advance to this summer’s showpiece could help breathe new life into the cup, saying: “It would take a run like this - let’s say, for argument’s sake, us getting to the final - to really change how many people feel about it I think. There’s lots of people now, because of how the game is going, who don’t really get what the FA Cup is and it’s getting harder and harder to experience that if you’re not a Premier League club. I think someone (else) getting all the way through would be huge.”

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Nevertheless, with United ranked second in the Championship table and seven points ahead of Middlesbrough in third, Heckingbottom added: “I’m not even thinking about it. If we get to a semi-final then you know what you are playing for; the chance to get into one of the biggest, if not the biggest, game you are ever going to play. But no, it’s just about the next game for us. We never look beyond that.”

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With the semi-finals also set to be staged at the national stadium, United could be 90 minutes away from a return to Wembley if they stun Spurs. Heckingbottom’s predecessor Nigel Clough led them into the last four of the cup nine years ago, where they twice took the lead over Hull City - then of the PL - before eventually succumbing 5-3. United were competing in League One at the time.

“There’s no point in even thinking about Wembley,” Heckingbottom said. “We just want to win, as always. If we are able to do that, and we know how difficult it will be, then we might start to think about it after that. Until then, we’re not. There’s a game to play first against top-drawer opponents, some of the best there are.”

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