You will not find Hartlepool United head coach Pete Wild hearing a bad word said about the FA Cup, because in his words the competition "got me a career".

In 2019 Wild, then 34, was in caretaker charge of Oldham Athletic when they stunned Premier League Fulham at Craven Cottage.

It was only a third game calling the shots but he masterminded a huge upset with the League Two side.

Now more than 300 matches later, Wild will lead Hartlepool into their fourth qualifying tie at home to National League North side Marine with a place alongside League One and Two clubs in the first round up for grabs.

"The FA Cup got me a career," he told BBC Radio Tees. "One game got me a career."

Wild had been working with the Latics' youth team when he got the call to replace Frankie Bunn and after two league wins, he took the side to west London.

Despite a gap of 59 places, a late goal from Callum Lang defeated a side struggling in the top flight and brought Wild into the headlines.

He had two spells at Boundary Park either side of Paul Scholes' short-lived reign as manager and since then Wild has been in charge of Halifax Town, Barrow, Fleetwood Town, Tranmere Rovers and this latest assignment with Hartlepool.

So he is happy to hit back at any detractors towards the FA Cup in the modern game.

"It's the best competition in the world," he said. "How good is the FA Cup?

"It can start people's careers, it can get you a move, it gets fans dreaming of big away days and big ties. If you can't get up for the FA Cup, what can you get up for?

"Managers who maybe play different teams because they don't see it as a priority? Madness. It's brilliant."