US Edition 
Rochdale's Spotland cast as FC United's theatre of FA Cup dreams
At a little after 3pm on Friday, Dave Chadwick will come rushing out of the Bolton care home where he works with troubled children and jump into his car.
Chadwick, the centre-back who captains FC United of Manchester, says he is praying for a clear run up the A58 to Rochdale. At 7.45pm, his team are due to run out at Spotland Stadium for their maiden appearance in the FA Cup.
"I'm working tomorrow with the young lads," he told The Daily Telegraph on Thursday night, "and normally I'd be on duty until 11pm. Even with some help from my manager, I'm going to be rushing to make it to our team meeting."
FC United were formed in 2005 as a gesture of disillusionment with the self-satisfied world of Premier League football in general, and the arrival of the Glazer family in particular.
Chadwick can be taken as a walking refutation of those twisted values. If anyone emphasises the widening gulf between everyday football folk and the high-rollers of Old Trafford, he is the man.
A former window-fitter, he had trials with Wigan but wound up at Prescot Cables, a semi-professional outfit in the Northern Counties League, before being wooed by FC United, who now play in the EvoStik League Premier Division.
It was through the community outreach programmes run by his new club that he came across the care home where he now works.
"These are lads from tough backgrounds," Chadwick said. "They come to us at 13 or 14, and we try to give them a start in life. I take them to school, check their rooms are in order, and organise activities. We spend a lot of time playing football, but we also go bowling sometimes, or to the cinema, or even go-karting.
"It's bizarre to look at some of the players at Old Trafford, haggling over an extra £20,000 per week. When you see homes like the one I work in, you know how badly they could use a little extra cash for activities and outings. Once you've put smiles on these lads' faces, you're halfway to winning the battle."
During this afternoon's drive from Bolton, Chadwick will have to forget about the school run and start worrying about Keith Hill's powerful Rochdale side, who sit 13th in League One – four divisions above FC United – after promotion last season.
To enter the main FA Cup draw, FC United scored a famous 1-0 win over Conference side Barrow. But tonight's match will represent another hike in quality and pressure, and not just because it is the first time they have appeared on live television. "We'll have to hope that Rochdale have an off day and that we can pull off something special," said their manager, Karl Marginson.
"I'll be looking to Dave Chadwick to marshal the defence. He is the sort of bloke you can ask to stop a train and he'll put his body on the line for you."
Atrocious weather has already forced one abandonment this week after Spotland became waterlogged. The ground staff have brought in a rain cover but the skies remain heavy and groundsman Phil Collinson says he is already on Plan E.
Chadwick, for one, will be hoping that the game goes ahead at the first time of asking. It will save him from having to take another day off work.