Ex-boss Wilkes gunning for Padiham

4:10pm Saturday 6th September 2008

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FORMER Padiham boss Steve Wilkes admits it will be a strange feeling when his Runcorn Linnets side takes on the Storks in the FA Vase tomorrow.

Wilkes ended a successful four-and-a-half year stay at the Arbories in January when he moved to join the Vodkat North West Counties Premier Division outfit.

And tomorrow’s first qualifying round tie at Witton Albion’s Wincham Park will be his first reunion since.

“As soon as the draw happened I had a phone call to say ‘you’ll never guess who we’ve got in the Vase’ and of course it was Padiham,” said Wilkes.

“It’s unfortunate really because I had a really good time there and I always look out for their results, hoping that they win every week.

“It’s a good little club and now I’ve got to try and knock them out of a cup competition. I’m looking forward to it but it’s a strange feeling.

“I went back to Darwen after leaving there and I didn’t feel like this.

“It’s unfortunate that for 90 minutes they will be the enemy and I won’t be doing them any favours and they won’t be doing any for me.”

Wilkes still stays in touch with a number of players and officials at his old club and has four ex-Padiham players in his current squad in Stuart Telfer, Steve Pickup, Michael Morrison and Damien Morrison.

Runcorn, who have made a decent start to their league programme, will be favourites to progress against Division One side Padiham.

And with Bacup Borough waiting in the next round, Wilkes is hopeful of a decent run in the competition.

“The main aim is to get Runcorn back in the UniBond where they belong but we want a run in the Vase.

“We’ve got to get through Sunday but if you can get through three or four rounds I think you’ve got a great chance of progressing because I think the teams form the north are stronger than the southern ones,” he added.