Hartlepool United defender Neill Byrne shares his views on coming up against 'the elite of the elite' as Graeme Lee's side face Crystal Palace in the FA Cup

It seems like an age since Graeme Lee’s side got the better of Blackpool in the third round in early January with Pools having contested five games since then and negotiated their way through a busy transfer window.

Within that run of games, Lee’s side have secured their spot in the semi-final of the Papa John’s Trophy following their penalty shootout success over Charlton Athletic, but the weekend clash with Patrick Vieira’s Eagles is on a entirely different level for Pools as they look to make history by progressing into the fifth round of the competition for the first time in their history.

“It’s going to be very good. I spoke to one of my friends who is at Chesterfield [following their third round defeat at Chelsea] and he just said what a day it was to play against players like that,” said Byrne.

“The movement, and how good they were with the players afterwards, it’s definitely something you want to try and test yourself against.

“I think going into playing against a Premier League team, they’re the elite of the elite. They look like machines.

“It will be a very, very tough test for us, we know that, but you want to play in games like this.

“Everyone will probably have their family and their friends there. It’s a great old school stadium, if you don’t want to play in games like this you probably shouldn’t be a footballer should you.”

Byrne was rested for Pools’ quarter-final success over Charlton in the EFL Trophy recently but the 29-year-old has been a regular under Lee since his arrival and is expected to start at Selhurst Park on Saturday.

The Irishman has made a big impact since signing at the Suit Direct Stadium in the summer and the former Nottingham Forest youth defender has been pleased with his output so far this season.

“I think I was chatting to Gary Liddle about how I've played the majority of games. I don't mind, I’m one of them where if I can be out there I’d rather be out there than watching from the stands if I'm fit and I'm ready to go,” he explained.

“I’d rather be playing games and keeping my momentum going and keep trying to improve every game.

“You want to start the season and I think I want to play 40 or 50 games if you can and if you’re selected.

“If I go above and beyond that, then that’s brilliant but I’m a footballer and I enjoy playing football so I’m happy to play as many games as I can.

“When you’re doing well in the games in terms of progressing in the cups, we’ve Crystal Palace in the next round, you don’t want to be missing out on games like that, you want to be playing in big games.”

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