An FA Cup quarter final place is at stake for Watford and Leeds United tomorrow but the game means a little bit more to Hornets skipper Troy Deeney.

The striker’s dad - Paul Anthony Burke, who passed away in 2012 - was an Whites fans.

So after both sides had navigated their way through the fourth round of the competition Deeney hoped they would be pitted against each other.

The 27-year-old got his wish and immediately following the draw posted the message below on social networking website Twitter expressing his happiness to be facing United.
 

Several Leeds fans misconstrued the message, believing Deeney was intimating the tie was one Watford will win. That wasn’t the case. 

“I got a bit of grief for that,” the 27-year-old chuckles. “My Dad was a Leeds fan so that was the best draw for me. It was either that or something like Manchester United away. So I was buzzing.”

Given his father’s influence Deeney is well aware of Leeds’ history and their “massive” fan base.

But that will count for little tomorrow as both sides compete for a place in the last eight.

Deeney’s target is to add at least another goal to his personal tally against the Whites, he has scored six times in the last five meetings between the two teams.

“Hopefully I can score and we’ll go through,” he said. “If not it will still be a good day. I will have my family there and they know what it means to me.

“They are a great team. If you look at the Championship they are doing great at the minute but are still getting 30,000 at Elland Road. They have a massive fan base.

“I know their manager as well and he is a nice guy too. So I wish them all the best, just not next weekend.”