JASON Steele could well be in for a busy afternoon as Blackburn Rovers host holders Manchester United in the FA Cup fifth round.

But while Steele’s thoughts are on preparing for the televised clash in the last 16 of the FA Cup, two of his closest friends will be taking over his managerial duties at County Durham Premier League side Newton Aycliffe Locomotive.

The Rovers keeper stepped in to what he thought was a caretaker manager role of the team in his north-east home-town, but some four years later, he’s still in charge.  Steele led them to County Cup success two seasons ago, and they currently sit third in the table, knowing three points in all of their games in hand would see them go top of the pile.

Midweek Championship fixtures bring with them Sunday training sessions for Rovers, meaning Steele is unable to be on the touchline every week. But this time it will be the small matter of United in the FA Cup that will prevent Steele from taking charge of his Sunday League side.

“It’s a bunch of mates in County Durham where we’re from, they’re not rubbish, they all play in the Northern league and are good players," Steele said.

“I’ve done it for around four years. My friend moved to Dubai with his wife, and he was the manager, so I sort of said that I would be a stop-gap and I’ve been there ever since.

“The last few weeks I haven’t been there as we have had a midweek game, so when we do we’re in on the Sunday so I can’t be there.

“Two of my best mates who are up there are going straight from that to come and watch our game."

Wins over QPR and Blackpool have seen Rovers in to the last 16 of the FA Cup, a stage of the competition in which they have reached in each of the last three years.

Steele’s Sunday league side reached the last 16 of the FA Sunday Cup earlier this season, only to be knocked out by near neighbours Stockton.

And the 26-year-old is hoping that’s not where Rovers’ FA Cup journey ends this time as they eye a giant-killing against Jose Mourinho’s men.

When asked what his team-talk would be to the Rovers players would be should he the man at the helm, he said: “I’d say stick to the game-plan first and foremost and do yourselves proud and enjoy it because it’s not every day you get to play against Manchester United.”

Steele says Rovers will be aiming to ‘achieve something special’ in this afternoon’s tie as they put aside their Championship struggles to welcome Mourinho’s men to East Lancashire.

But even when talking about the distractions of an FA Cup tie, a huge game against relegation rivals Burton Albion on February 24 is never too far from the thoughts of the Rovers players.

“We’re lucky in some respect that we’ve got a chance to go out and achieve something special or give as good account of ourselves as we can and hopefully if we do well, then that can give us a little confidence boost going into a big game next week,” Steele added.

“Don’t get me wrong, we feel as if we’ve done alright last couple of games, but at the end of the day we haven’t won games so it’s alright saying that.

“Of course we’re all eager to get out and play but at the same time our sole focus this season is to stay in the Championship and that’s the main aim.

“This is a good distraction and it can only be a positive and nobody’s expecting us to do anything, pull up any tress, nobody’s expecting us to win. We know that we can achieve something, we know we’re going to go out there and give it everything we’ve got and what will be will be.”

More than 24,000 fans are expected to watch this afternoon's FA Cup tie.  It will be the biggest Ewood Park attendance of the season, up on the 18,524 who saw the 1-0 win over Newcastle United last month.

Rovers also were 1-0 winners at St James Park back in November in front of 52,092.

And Steele is hoping those experiences can stand them in good stead ahead of this afternoon’s clash, believing Rovers will emerge with credit from the game.

He added: “We have to perform and do our jobs and I think the adrenaline of playing in front of that amount of people, you only have to look at the two wins over Newcastle, to see how everyone was that switched on and focussed.

“I think for me it’s more looking forward to the atmosphere. You go to the big grounds or you have the games where you know they’re going to bring eight or nine thousand.

“It’s one of those where the atmosphere carries you through and you know that you’ve got to be switched on and sharp all the way through the game and that’s the main thing. We know that’s it going to be an unbelievable atmosphere and that can only help us.

“I can only seeing Sunday as being a positive for us – that’s not me saying we’re going to go out there and win or get a replay but I can only see us doing ourselves justice and showing how good we can be.”