FA Cup First Round draw: Tonbridge Angels manager Jay Saunders looks ahead to potentially being drawn against a Football League club including Birmingham City and Charlton Athletic

Jay Saunders’ love affair with the FA Cup is back on - after a two-year absence.

The Tonbridge Angels boss will find out on Monday night who his team will face in the first round after booking their place alongside clubs from League 1 and 2 by winning at Cray Wanderers on Saturday.

It’s the first time former Maidstone boss Saunders has led Tonbridge to the first round since his arrival at Longmead in 2022.

“I’ve hated the last two years,” admitted Saunders. “There’s nothing worse than being out of the FA Cup, watching that Monday night draw and seeing teams come out.

“I’m delighted for my staff, too. Tom Parkinson was saying he’s had one run in the FA Cup, getting to the first round once in his career. I was fortunate as a player and a manager so it’s a great occasion to the club.

“It puts the club on the map and that’s what you want. You want people to see what we’re about.

“Off the pitch the club are working so hard to improve matchday experience, we’re part of that as we’ve got to produce on the pitch.

“I don’t think we were at our best but sometimes you’ve just got to get through and we’ve done that.

“The people behind the scenes are great people, it’s a great club to work for. It’s lovely to repay them with this. We’re trying to build each year and improve, we just have to keep doing what we’re doing.

“We haven’t won anything but there’s a bit of pressure off you if you like because there’s that expectancy to get to the first round.”

It’s only the second time Tonbridge have reached the first round of the FA Cup since 1972.

Even then they had to play Bradford City without supporters in the ground four years ago due to Covid restrictions.

“I was made well aware of that record,” said Saunders, on Tonbridge’s FA Cup