Russell Martin discussed Leicester City's FA Cup trip to Oxford City and 2021 winner Luke Thomas

The FA Cup has a special feeling about it. Everyone has their first memory of the competition and their own greatest moment – for Leicester City supporters, Youri Tielemans' stunning goal against Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga is likely to top the list.

At Oxford City tonight, the eyes of the nation will be on TNT Sports 1 as Leicester look to avoid a potential FA Cup upset. Five years on from Tielemans' Wembley winner, the former champions – now playing in the third tier of English football – face non-league opposition at a ground that holds just over 3,000 spectators.

Five years on from Leicester's triumph at Wembley, Luke Thomas is the only member of the squad still at the club.

The academy graduate has become a trusted figure under Martin since his arrival, retaining the manager's faith despite some difficult performances this season.

Martin has regularly praised Thomas' attitude, work rate and personality in recent months. Asked about having an FA Cup winner in his squad, the Foxes boss was full of admiration.

"He got the assist in the FA Cup final, didn't he? Can you call it an assist? He passed it, didn't he? It's the last action before the goal," he told LeicestershireLive.

"He's a fantastic player. He's played in many different positions already. He trains brilliantly, does anything you ask of him to the best of his ability. He's a maximiser, Luke, and I love that about him.

"He's going to be really important for us, not just now, but in the long term as well because I think he's had opportunities to leave this football club - in the summer as well to play at a higher level.

"After one chat with him, I realised how much he wanted to stay and I really liked him. I said that to him, I really like him in football, I think we can help him improve and give him a better platform to look like the player he can be, and hopefully he's really enjoying that.

"I think he cares about this club so much and I don't think you can ever undervalue that. After the club's first relegation, he could have left and he stayed. After last year, he could have left and he stayed, and I think that's a real sign of character and who he is.

"We absolutely love working with him. He's hugely popular in the dressing room and like I said to you the other night, he's incredibly intelligent on the football pitch and off it, I made a joke about not so much off it, but he's just a brilliant person.

"He's been really important for us and will continue to be so."

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As for Martin, he's been there and done it as far as Oxford are concerned with their status coming into the tie.

“I’ve been a lower league team as the underdog and gone to Premier League teams and loved it,” said Russell Martin. “I’ve always been a player in a Premier League team and got beat by a conference team at Norwich. I hope I can understand both sides of it and hopefully we can utilise that.

“Listen, we’ve been put on the TV on Friday night for one reason: everyone wants to see an upset. That’s what the FA Cup is about. It’s about the underdog having an opportunity to have a brilliant day, to really have something to remember for so long – we have to avoid that.

“We have to really rise to the challenge, which is a different one, but we have to keep showing how much we’re growing as a team and rise to a different challenge. It’s one I’m really looking forward to.”

Amid all the talk of avoiding a potential banana skin against Oxford, Martin also opened up about his own memories of the famous competition. The City boss did not enjoy much success in the FA Cup as a player, with his best run coming during his time at Southampton, when he reached the fifth round.

But Martin's first memory of the competition came long before his playing career, growing up as a Brighton supporter. He recalled the moment with a smile. "My first memory is, I wasn't even born for it, but we had the 1983 Cup final on VHS when I was a kid, being from Brighton - "[Gordon] Smith must score" - that one," he said.

"I actually met Gordon in Glasgow at a coffee shop and he's a lovely man, a brilliant guy. But he said he's never lived that down, bless him. I used to watch that on video a lot when I was a kid. I didn't watch the replay, we lost 4-0. My parents were at that game and it was a missed opportunity for the football club to win the FA Cup.

"That's my first memory, I used to watch that relentlessly. But as a player and a fan beyond that, I think there's a lot, isn't there? You always used to look forward to the FA Cup final, watching it at the end of the season."