Bishop’s Cleeve manager Paul Collicutt is calling on everyone in the village to get behind their football club as they prepare for what he describes as “the biggest game in their history”.

The Southern League Division One South side go head-to-head with  Torquay United in an FA Cup second qualifying round at Kayte Lane on Saturday (3pm) in front of what is expected to be a sell-out crowd of more than 1,350.

Torquay have been a Football League club for the majority of their 125 years and they will be bringing hundreds of supporters with them up the M5.

They are currently playing in National League South – two levels above Cleeve – but they still attract more than 3,000 to their games.

“It’s massive,” said 65-year-old Collicutt. “In our wildest dreams we couldn’t have imagined we’d play a glamour club like Torquay, it’s not something that’s likely to happen again in my lifetime.

“We want the people of Cleeve to come out in their numbers and support the team.

“And we want them to come and make a noise because Torquay’s fans will come and make a noise.”

A good number of Cleeve’s fans will be going to Kayte Lane for the first time – “We’ve got 100 green and white scarves to give away to the first 100 supporters who turn up in a Cleeve shirt,” said Collicutt – and the club want to showcase all that they’ve got to offer.

“We want to show the people of Bishop’s Cleeve that they’ve got a football team that they can be proud about,” added Collicutt, who has lived in the village since he was nine.

Collicutt is in his second spell as manager of the club and he knows that Torquay, who are managed by Paul Wotton, are strong favourites going into Saturday’s game.

“We are big underdogs,” he said. “All I’m looking for is my team to give it their all, we’re playing at home so that is in our favour.

“We’re getting better as a team and we’re getting more and more used to playing on astroturf. That does encourage good football, we like to keep the ball on the deck.”

Torquay are fifth in the 24-strong National League South – they lost 2-0 at Welling United on Saturday – and Collicutt, as you’d expect, has done his homework on them.

He’s spoken to Aaron Downes, the former Cheltenham Town defender, who took over as interim manager when Torquay went into administration towards the end of last season.

Neil Warnock has since joined the club as a football adviser and Collicutt said: “The club have got a very good pedigree, I’ve heard a lot of good stuff about Torquay.

“We’ve got to have a very good day at the office and they’ve got to have a bad day, but you never know. There will be nerves for them as well as for us.

“I want our lads to enjoy it and enjoy the occasion. If we play with a smile on our faces we will cause them problems.”

And if they do those smiles will quickly spread to the supporters of course.

“This game is for everyone who has been involved with Bishop’s Cleeve Football Club over the years,” continued Collicutt.

“There’s a massive buzz around the club and I’d like to think in Bishop’s Cleeve as well.

“There are so many volunteers doing so much to make it a special day, some people have even taken a week off work so they can help out, it means that much. It's very, very full on.”

Torquay, whose past managers include the likes of Frank O’Farrell, Bruce Rioch and Dave Webb, have reached the fourth round of the FA Cup on seven occasions.

Their best known current player is 38-year-old defender Dean Moxey, who played  in the Premier League for Crystal Palace and also  in the Championship for Palace, Derby and Bolton.

Bishop’s Cleeve, who have won five and drawn one of their last six league and cup games, reached the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup back in 2005/06 during Collicutt’s first spell in charge. A controversial goal saw them lose 1-0 at home to Eastbourne Borough.

Cleeve normally get gates of 120-150 for their home games.