It’s been a great week for Tonbridge Angels boss Steve McKimm and he can’t wait to face Bradford City.

To begin with, his Angels side reach the First Round proper of the FA Cup for the first time in nearly half a century; they then draw a SKYBet League side in Bradford City at Longmead in the draw, and then the game is chosen to be “live” on the BBC red button on Saturday lunchtime.

Its little wonder that McKimm was in a good place when KSN caught up with him. “It’s an unbelievable achievement for us to make it and an unbelievable draw for the club.”

He went on, “It was great to get through, we knew Taunton were going to be a good side but we came through it with flying colours and just to be in that draw for the first time in forty-eight years.

“I’ve said before a lot of players and managers have tried before, I’ve tried before and it hasn’t worked until this season but then to get through and get the draw against Bradford was unbelievable.”

McKimm then admitted where he heard the draw, “I was in a pub near to Corinthian’s ground,” he said.

“My son and Barry’s (assistant boss Barry Moore) son and my son was playing in a game there. Corinthian didn’t have it on in the bar and so we had to go and find a small country pub to watch it.

“The drive back to the ground was a bit more exciting than we expected talking about what could be, and when it did happen is was an amazing feeling to know that we now had a league side coming to Longmead, of course it’s unfortunate that they’ll be no fans to watch it but the club will benefit from it and now even more that the game will be on TV.”

“It really is a win, win situation for us and its all credit to the players who have gone and put their bodies on the line to get us this far! It’ll be a live game which the club benefit from financially, the players benefit from the exposure, and they’re going to enjoy their day and they’ll give it a good go and why not! Lets fact it anything can happen…”

In an amazing gesture from the Bradford supporters, a fund raising page has been set up to help the Angels receive some of the gate revenue that the tie would have surely generated. The Angels boss was taken aback by the incredible gesture and told us, “Its another thing that has taken our breath away really – it’s something that no one expected!

“For the guy (Jonnie Carrington) to actually set it up and donated to start with, all the other people who have put donations in it truly is remarkable and it just shows that football is still alive. We knew what we would miss out on with the fans without knowing we’d be on the telly, and the guy set up the page and it’s gone from strength to strength!

“We didn’t ask for it, this gentleman did it off his own back of his own accord and people have felt his love for it and have donated as well towards our club.

“Are we going to turn it away? Of course, we’re not… Did we ask for it? No we didn’t… We’re very, very appreciative of what he’s done and all the people who have donated – we have to thank them very much. The guy has said that once he’s allowed to, he’ll come and see us, and one thing is for sure – the drinks will be on us!”

To see the link and possibly contribute yourself please see: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/tonbridgevbradfordcity?utm_term=5AQZxY6mg