Rob Smith loves AFC Telford and Villa
AFC Telford United manager and Aston Villa fan Rob Smith admits playing his lifelong heroes will be a dream come true.
The recently-relegated Championship side are at the New Bucks Head tomorrow for the highest-profile friendly of Telford's warm-up calendar.
And Brummie Smith, who has followed the claret and blues' fortunes all his life, can't wait to play the one-time European champions.
The Bucks boss, whose side will wear their new home kit for the first time, said: "It's going to be some occasion to me.
"It's my life and blood – I'm claret and blue through and through.
"I've seen them do everything and literally they were my passion as a kid, so to play them will be great for me. I've never played them before and I'm really looking forward to it.
"They mean so much to me, it's massive but we'll have to concentrate on what we're doing and show what we're all about. It will be a brilliant test for us."
Smith joked that he will be taking it easy on Roberto Di Matteo's side to boost their confidence after that fall from grace last season.
He quipped: "I want to give them a leg-up and a good start after last year! But the way we are, I think we can give anyone a game at the minute."
Meanwhile, Smith believes he will be judged from now because his Telford team is his.
He said: "This is my team now and everything I do from now on I'll be judged on, because I hand-picked them."
