Chesterfield boss Paul Cook is the last English manager to beat Pep Guardiola in the FA Cup.
Kirkby-born Cook was Wigan’s manager when the League One club upset Manchester City in the fifth round in 2018.
Since then City have won the FA Cup twice and lost three semi-finals – to Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal in 2020, Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea in 2021 and Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool in 2022.
Will Grigg scored Wigan’s winner against City and, six years on, has reunited with Cook at Chesterfield, where his 13 league goals this season have helped propel the Derbyshire club to the top of the National League.
The Spireites will be backed by around 4,000 travelling fans at Vicarage Road, with many confident of an upset after seeing their side defeat League One clubs Portsmouth and Leyton Orient to get to this stage.
Leagues and positions: 10th in Championship v 1st in National League.
Chesterfield in the FA Cup this season: fourth qualifying round – home v Kettering 5-0; first round – home v Portsmouth 1-0; second round – home v Leyton Orient 1-0.
Chesterfield boss Paul Cook: “We’re delighted to be in the third round. We have got a ridiculously tough tie at Watford, but we will go there and really enjoy it.”
Did you know? Chesterfield, relegated from the EFL in 2018, have reached the FA Cup third round for the third successive season as a non-league club.
