A TEACHER at Ellesmere College is one day away from a fairytale FA Cup third-round tie which will see his eighth-tier club go up against Premier League giants.

David Raven, who plays for Merseyside club Marine AFC, says his teammates have to believe 'anything is possible' as they prepare to take on José Mourinho's Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

The two sides, worlds apart in the English football pyramid, were drawn against each other after a dream run for the Crosby-based team which saw them pick up wins over Chester FC, Colchester United and Havant & Waterlooville.

Now a bigger challenge awaits, with players including Harry Kane and Heung Min-Son set to travel to Rossett Park on Sunday, as both teams set their sights on the fourth round.

Raven said preparation has been good for the big match, and said the impact on those in the community is evident.

He said: "We've had a good few weeks of build-up to it now. We've had a few games in-between and the whole build-up has been brilliant.

"There has been a whole load of stuff to sort out with regards to Covid and the different things the club isn't too used to like the media side of stuff.

"It's been great, just in terms of lifting community spirit here, especially with everything that's happening.

"You can see people around here are buzzing, so it's really good."

The 35-year-old centre-back praised the side's manager, Neil Young, for his work ahead of the big clash, and spoke about how the latest change to Covid-19 restrictions meant some late venue changes for training were necessary.

"Venues cancelled on us," he said. "We haven't got our own training ground and with Covid restrictions, it has been a struggle.

"But we trained at Everton on Thursday – they were good enough to give us their facilities for that day, and today we're at Liverpool's training facilities too.

"It's all good – the manager is racking his brain working out the best way to play, how to stop them and how to stay in the game for as long as we can to see if we can nick a goal.

"His task isn't enviable but he's drilled us well and it'll be down to us on Sunday.

"It's a mountain to climb, and it's not far from mission impossible, but there is a glimmer of hope."

A glimmer of hope is enough for Raven, who believes there is a chance the underdogs could cause a huge upset.

He said: "We have to go into the game believing it is possible, we can't go in thinking we're going to lose.

"It is impossible to play freely that way – we have to go in thinking we stand a chance.

"We're lucky it's on our pitch and not on Tottenham's, so they can't really go to town with their passing game.

"Who knows? We've got to turn up and give it our best, all 11 of us at 150 per cent, and just see what happens."

After new Covid-19 restrictions meant a limited number of spectators would no longer be allowed at the event, the football community has pulled together to offer its support to the non-league club.

Tottenham Hotspur fans, as well as Marine supporters, have purchased virtual tickets for the match, with proceeds going to Marine.

Former Liverpool defender and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher has also given support, while sponsors have also given financial backing.

Raven said the support, locally and further afield is the epitome of the FA Cup.

He said: "People are jumping on it, and it is like people say 'the magic of the FA Cup', people love it.

"We've had video messages off all sorts of people from the local baker to local shop owners throughout the week.

"Tottenham fans buying virtual tickets to support us as a club even though the game is live on television anyway, it's great.

"And people like Jamie Carragher, a local Crosby lad, coming forward to offer support as well is excellent."