WHEN someone has amassed nearly as many clubs as his years on the planet, there is a strong chance he will have experienced a cup tie when he has been on the side of the underdog.

Aged 28, Stuart Elliott has been at 21 different clubs, a record that has seen him travel the length and breadth of the country, experiencing what it is like to dump higher league clubs out of cups in the process.

During his days at Darlington, his ninth employer, Elliott emerged from the bench for the biggest game of his career to score a stunning goal from 40 yards against former European champions Nottingham Forest.

Forest, of the First Division five years ago, had been humbled by little Darlington in the Worthington Cup and Elliott had a long-lasting memory to hold on to.

On that night at the City Ground, Elliott had only been introduced after badgering manager Gary Bennett to play in an under-strength team, something the tough-tackling midfielder will never regret.

"I had a proper lip on before the game," recalls Elliott. "The manager had told us all before the game that he was going to be fielding a team with the weekend league game in mind.

"I was devastated. When we got down to Forest I let the manager know exactly how I felt. I didn't even think I was going to be on the bench, but I was.

"He wasn't going to use me. He kept saying so but I kept on at him. I didn't want to miss out on the chance of playing at Nottingham Forest.

"Things had not gone to plan in the first half and at half-time Gary Bennett told me I was going on. Five minutes before time Forest keeper Dave Beasant made a mess of a clearance. It fell to me and, fortunately, my shot landed in the net."

That strike set up a tie for Quakers, of League Two, with Premiership outfit Bradford City and this afternoon Elliott will be involved in an even bigger challenge.

Now at Northwich Victoria in Conference North, two rungs outside the Football League, he is preparing with the rest of the part-timers to face Sunderland tomorrow.

The Black Cats are in a dire situation at the foot of the Premiership but, nevertheless, Elliott is under no illusions about the task in hand.

"There's none of us coming out with anything stupid," said Elliott, a Londoner who actually lives in Killingworth, Tyneside, having put his roots down in the region when he was on the books at Newcastle's Academy.

"Let's face it, this is the FA Cup and anything is possible. We could go on to beat Sunderland and get into the next round but no-one really expects to. Lower league teams have done it before but it's a tough ask.

"Even Sunderland, in the dreadful position they are and the lack of confidence they could have, should beat us 99 times out of 100. But we will have as many fans as we can inside the Stadium of Light, cheering us on, and we will be doing everything to try to make sure that that one time is this time."

The Vics, sitting five points adrift of Nuneaton Borough in Conference North, are a squad full of painters, decorators, taxi drivers and couriers. When they walk out on the Wearside turf, almost all of them will have never graced such a stage.

Elliott, who was actually on the bench when Newcastle faced Barcelona at the Nou Camp in 1997, is one of those lucky enough to have tasted such nights during his career.

But that will not diminish the pride and excitement he will feel when he walks out alongside his Northwich team-mates, including former Newcastle colleague Paul Brayson.

"We have all had new suits fitted," he said. "Unlike FA Cup final day, they probably won't fit mind, I think they're from Netto or somewhere! But we are treating this as a cup final and why shouldn't we.

"The club is making a weekend of it. The whole squad travelled up yesterday. We will train at Newcastle's training ground on Saturday and we will all be going along to watch Newcastle play Mansfield.

"As much as it is day out for us it is also to try to help some of the lads that have never experienced a big game before to get a taste of what it will be like inside a big stadium for such a fixture. Hopefully it will help."

It is through Elliott's Newcastle connections that Northwich have been able to land such first-class training facilities before tomorrow's dream date with the Magpies' arch-rivals Sunderland.

During a long-lay-off with knee ligament damage last season, Newcastle had told him he could use their facilities to regain full fitness as often as he liked.

He now helps to train the Under-15s on a Tuesday and Thursday night, while he goes along on a Sunday morning to watch the team in action, although he will be missing tomorrow morning for obvious reasons.

His link-up with Newcastle also means he can do his own training Monday to Wednesday before carrying out a near seven-hour round trip to Northwich on a Thursday and Friday before playing on a Saturday.

Signed in the summer after striker Brayson recommended the midfielder's talent to boss Steve Burr, Elliott claims Northwich are punching below their weight.

"I wasn't there last season but the lads were all absolutely gutted to have been demoted from the Conference," he said.

"After being put into administration, and deducted ten points, the lads still managed to climb out of the relegation zone.

"But because the 'Is' were not dotted and the 'Ts' not crossed on certain pieces of paperwork, the club were demoted anyway. But most of the team have stuck together and we are going well this season."

Having started his career at Newcastle and played seemingly everywhere since, arguably Elliott's biggest day yet is on the horizon. And, with his Tyneside neighbours cheering him on, one other giant-killing winning goal to add to his scrapbook wouldn't go amiss.

An adopted Geordie celebrating on Wearside would make things even sweeter.