"THE FA CUP IS ALWAYS SPECIAL" SAYS HUMPHREYS

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Youngster raring to go against Reading

2025-01-10T16:30:00.000Z

"THE FA CUP IS ALWAYS SPECIAL" SAYS HUMPHREYS

Youngster raring to go against Reading

2025-01-10T16:30:00.000Z

Youngster raring to go against Reading

Bashir Humphreys said a few days off following the East Lancashire Derby, with no midweek fixture, came at a good time to give the team a little reset.

Feeling refreshed, he's raring to go ahead of the Emirates FA Cup Third Round trip to Reading this weekend, a Club he's familiar with having spent time as a youngster coming through the academy there.

“I’d forgotten how it feels not having a midweek match! It’s been nice. I think at the end of all of those fixtures coming thick and fast, it’s a nice little reset for us.”

Looking back on the last time the Clarets were in action, the win at Ewood Park. How did the 21-year-old find the experience of playing in a game with such rivalry and history?

“It’s amazing. These are the times, I’d say I’m a bit selfish as a player, I was really disappointed not to be involved in the first one because of how amazing the atmosphere was at Turf Moor. So, when I found out I was playing in this game I couldn’t wait. From the warmup I felt it, throughout the whole game I felt it. Although the game was quite ugly, I think that almost makes it better because it makes it feel like a real derby!”

Defender pens permanent Turf Moor deal

Humphreys played a key part on the day, not just defensively but providing a pinpoint cross for Zian Flemming's winner.

“In terms of the cross, that’s just instinct. I know we work on this stuff in training a lot but I’m not necessarily thinking ‘Oh I know where Zian is, it's going to his head,’ I just know that those are the right areas to hit and we’re going to fill those slots. Afterwards it was just pure emotion from all of us. I’ll carry that with me for a very, very long time.”

Since arriving at the Club in the summer of 2024, the young defender has played various positions including right-back, left-back and centre-back, something he sees as a positive and a key area of development for him as a player.

“I don’t mind where I play to be honest. I didn’t really come into the season thinking like that, so that’s been my biggest growth this year. I came here and I just wanted to play the centre-back position and the Gaffer kind of said ‘throw that out of the window, you’ve got to play where you’ve got to play’ and I think that’s a big learning for me. I’m still quite young, throughout my career I don’t know where I’ll end up playing. So, I just need to try and add as many attributes as possible.”

It was a busy festive period for Scott Parker's side, who secured three wins and three draws in the Sky Bet Championship in the month of December. How would Humphrey's reflect on the Christmas period?

“It was quite successful. I think we were a bit disappointed to not take three points in some of those games. But in the grand scheme of things as long as we’re still putting points on the table and moving in an upward trajectory then we’re going to be happy with it.”

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And on the defensive record so far, in which he's contributed heavily to?

“I’m more than happy with it! We just need to keep doing what we’re doing. It’s just our team mentality when we’re in a defensive phase, we know what to do and we all have the same idea of we’re not conceding goals.”

This weekend the Clarets travel to the Select Car Leasing Stadium to take on Reading in the third round of the Emirates FA Cup and it's a competition that holds a special place for Humphreys as it's where he made his professional debut.

“It’s special. It’ll always hold that special history in this country and around the world, I think everyone’s aware of that, how big a cup it is for any team to have that trophy to their name.

“I made my debut in it so that’s something I’ll always carry with me. If I can, I want to play in every FA Cup game in which I can feature.”

There's also another link, as it was Reading where Humphreys spent time as a youngster in the academy.

“It’s exciting. I never got to play on that pitch as a professional, it’d be my first time. I was 9, 10, 11 when I was there, and I remember going to games and seeing it. It’ll be interesting to experience it so many years later.

“We’re expecting a tough game from them. We respect every team to the same level whether or not we’re playing a team at the top of the Premier League or a team at the bottom of League Two. We’re going to show up and give it absolutely everything no matter who we’re playing.”