MICK McCarthy turned the TV off in disgust last time he watched his hometown club Barnsley play a cup tie at a Premier League giant but is hoping his former player Conor Hourihane can replicate the spirit of the 1980s Reds side at Anfield on Monday.

Veteran manager McCarthy, from Worsbrough, keeps a close tie on the Oakwell club and watched their 7-0 drubbing at Manchester United in the EFL Cup last season. He is hoping for a lot better when they visit Liverpool in the FA Cup third round.

McCarthy told the Chronicle: “It’s a fabulous draw. I wish it was at Oakwell. But it’s a great draw.

“We played Man United last year and we got absolutely mullered. That’s what you don’t want.

“I felt so deflated. I was looking forward to watching it then I turned it off.

“It was forwards against defence.

“They are great games if you make a good fist of it and enjoy it.

“You want to at least compete.

“Let’s hope they do this time.

“If you do well it really helps the players but, if you get slapped, that has the opposite impact completely.”

McCarthy and his Reds team-mates competed well in the 1982 League Cup quarter-final. Having beaten the likes of Manchester City to reach the last eight, Norman Hunter’s side drew 0-0 at then European Champions Liverpool who would win the League Cup that season – the second of four successive victories in that competition. They were managed by Bob Paisley and fielded the likes of Bruce Grobbelaar, Alan Hansen, Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush and Graeme Souness.

The match was marred by crowd trouble and bad weather which delayed the away fans getting to the game.

McCarthy recalls: “It was snowing like hell. Everybody thought the game was going to be off and then when we got to Liverpool it was on.

“I never thought we’d draw but my favourite story is that people took ages to get to the game and then they got in the ground eventually with four or five minutes to play.

“They were running into the ground and asking ‘what’s the score?’ and being told 0-0. Then saying ‘blow your whistle ref.’ They hadn’t seen a ball kicked.

“So I always laugh at that.”

In the replay, Barnsley scored through Colin Walker but lost 3-1.

McCarthy said: “I guess we thought we were going to win, having drawn away.

“You get one chance when you’re playing against teams like that.”

That was a famous era in Barnsley’s history when they went from the fourth tier to the upper end of the second within a few years and had players such as McCarthy, Ian Banks, Ronnie Glavin and Trevor Aylott.

Mick said: “There was a buzz about the club. We would get big crowds.

“Allan Clarke had created that buzz but then Norman Hunter took it on and nearly got us to the top flight. We had a good team and then of course that ended up getting disbanded. All sorts of players left including myself.”

McCarthy went on to enjoy a long and successful career as a player and manager. His second stint in charge of the Republic of Ireland saw him work with Hourihane who is now Reds head coach.

“Conor is a great guy and was a very very good footballer. He seems to be taking everything he has learned into his management. He’s done his badges and he was always quite keen on doing it.

“I really wish him well.

“I had him with Ireland for two seasons and he was always interested in the coaching process, asking us questions.

“He was a good member of the squad and played most games for me.

“I remember him scoring against Georgia with a magnificent free-kick in the top corner and we won 1-0.”

McCarthy also knows Hourihane’s assistant Richard Keogh and Barnsley striker David McGoldrick.

“I don’t know them as coaches but they are all great lads. I really hope they do well because they deserve it.”