York City midfielder Scott Kerr has admitted a good FA Cup run is always a primary target for any Blue Square Bet Premier player.

The Minstermen enter the competition on Saturday when they travel to fourth qualifying round opponents Wrexham.

Both teams are also currently embroiled in a battle for promotion back to the Football League with Wrexham top of the table – five points and two places clear of City.

The two sides will meet in the league at Bootham Crescent a week on Saturday but Kerr does not feel that detracts from the lure of the world’s most famous knockout competition.

He said: “Playing in the FA Cup has got to be up there on your list of priorities every season as a non-League player. People says it’s a magical competition and that’s true.

“It gives you the opportunity to perform against League teams and prove to people you deserve a chance to play at that level. For lads who might have been released by League clubs, it also offers that chance to put records straight.

“It takes your mind off the league as well which isn’t always a bad thing, even though I wish we have a game every Tuesday and Saturday at the moment because of the way we are playing.”

Kerr has had his share of memorable Cup moments over the years, none more so than when he was named star man during Scarborough’s 1-0 fourth round home defeat to Chelsea in 2004.

At 29, he would relish the challenge of pitting his wits against one of the game’s big boys again and, ahead of this weekend’s game, is hoping City can emulate their acheivements of the past two seasons by reaching the third round, where they were drawn against top-flight teams Stoke and Bolton.

Kerr added: “If the club can get to the third round again and play against a Premier League club, I’m sure the fans would enjoy that, as we would as players. The Chelsea game at Scarborough was unbelievable.

“You play the game for those moments, the publicity that comes with them and the crowds. We lost 1-0 but, on a personal level, I was named man of the match and to get that, when the Chelsea side included the likes of Frank Lampard, Joe Cole and Emmanuel Petit, was incredible.

“The game was hard work and I’ve never been so tired when I came off the pitch. Those players deserve to be where they are.

“You see them on TV and to come up against them and rub shoulders with them is a bit surreal. Lampard was different class on the day and he was in his prime then.

“I got his shirt which was the one I wanted and I’ve still got it along with the man-of-the-match bottle of champagne.”

While not wanting to get ahead of himself, Kerr also believes City will travel to North Wales with confidence having already won 3-0 at the Racecourse Ground in the league last month.

He said: “When we heard the draw, there were a few groans because it wasn’t the best one but they won’t have welcomed it either. On paper, it’s the toughest we could have got with them being top of the table but we’ve already been there once and, in my opinion, that was the start of the good run we are on now.

“We battered them so we’ll go there with confidence and it should be a good game. If we carry on playing as we are doing, there’s no team in the division that can beat us. We’ve just got to cut out the silly goals we’re conceding.”

Kerr also knows that the next two matches will represent a great chance for City to send out a signal of their intent this season, adding: “I think we’ve already put down markers with our performances in the league.

“We’ve beaten Wrexham and a lot of the other top teams except for Gateshead. The Cup match will make no difference to the league table but I think a lot of people will be watching what happens during the game on November 5. Everyone will be taking note.”

Kerr taken by telepathic harmony of City midfield

SCOTT Kerr, Andre Boucaud and Paddy McLaughlin have been teamed together in midfield for the last ten matches, starting with the win at Wrexham and, since then, York City have lost just once.

Ex-Lincoln captain Kerr believes the trio have now forged an almost telepathic relationship, saying: “I’m playing the best football I have done for years and it’s so enjoyable because we are playing with so much confidence and I feel an integral part of that.

“The understanding between myself, Boucs and Paddy is so good at the moment that I feel we could play blindfolded and still know where to find each other.”

Kerr has been particularly impressed by the transition made by 20-year-old team-mate McLaughlin from a Premier League reserve to a Blue Square Bet Premier regular who has already netted five senior goals.

The Leeds-born midfielder said: “Paddy is a good player with a lot of quality. It’s sometimes tough to drop down to this level but he’s shown he’s willing to work hard.

“He’s playing in a more advanced role with myself and Boucs lying deeper and is getting quite a few chances. He’s got a great left foot and, if we keep getting him in the right positions, he will carry on scoring goals.”