ERIC SABIN makes his FA Cup debut tomorrow and knows all too well that dreams sometimes come true.

Town go into the clash with Hartlepool as favourites but the French striker is proof that the underdog sometimes has its day.

The 26-year-old created history as a member of the only third division side ever to reach the French cup final.

Sabin was part of the Nimes team that defied all the odds to reach the final in 1996.

The dream was finally ended by Auxerre, thanks to goals from Laurent Blanc and Lillian Leslandes.

Sabin treasures his runners-up medal and cherishes the memories of his big day.

He said: "To walk out in front of 60,000 people at the Parc de Princes was quite incredible.

"None of us at Nimes thought we would ever get that far but it just shows that these one-off games do give the smaller clubs an opportunity if they play well on the day."

But Sabin admits the French final is not held in quite the same regard as the FA Cup.

As a youngster Sabin would watch the final on television each year and dreamed that one day he would walk out at Wembley.

Hartlepool may not be the most glamorous of opponents but Sabin does not care.

He said: "I just want to play in this competition and help the team to win the match and get through to the next round.

"I would love to play in the final one day. You just never know what surprises football can bring you."

The winners of the Adver's FA Cup competition, to win four pairs of tickets to the Hartlepool game, were: D Pike, Cirencester; A Hare, Freshbrook, Swindon; C Gleed, Old Walcot, Swindon; D C Clifford, Calne.