The Emirates FA Cup visits the second round. The real competitor Kettering Town

Kettering Town face Doncaster Rovers in the second round of the Emirates FA Cup on Sunday and the competition’s iconic trophy has already visited the club in advance.

Founded over 150 years ago in 1872, the Poppies have a long history with the cup since their first draw in the competition on October 6, 1888.

They reached the first round over 50 times and made it to the fourth round in the 1988–89 and 2008–09 seasons, where they were eliminated by Charlton and Fulham.

Their exploits in the Emirates FA Cup saw them score 922 goals, a record for the competition and eleven more than their closest rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

The 921st and 922nd of those came in the impressive victory over local rivals Northampton Town – who play four levels above them – in the first round earlier this month.

The team plays in the Southern League Premier Central Division, the seventh tier of the English football pyramid, and will be hoping to cause another surprise tomorrow.

Many club staff, players, fans and locals visited Latimer Park before the game to have their photos taken with the famous silverware and take part in a fan forum.

“This whole cup run is for the fans,” said Kettering Town owner George Akhtar.

“We don’t want this to be a flash in the pan. That’s what we want as a goal for the club, season after season and season. A club like Kettering Town should be at least in the first round every season, and that is the attitude we need. We have a wonderful fan base and I want them to stay with us beyond tomorrow’s game.

“We have generated a bit of money from this cup run and we will sit down to see where we can best spend it. There are a few things we need to do, such as building a new stand, but the most important thing for us would be an artificial turf pitch because that would be a lasting legacy and secure the future of the club.”

Kettering Town v Doncaster Rovers will be on BBC Two and iPlayer tomorrow at 12:00 GMT and details of the remaining second round games can be viewed Here.