Huddersfield Town manager Chris Powell would love another FA Cup run after guiding Charlton Athletic to last season’s quarter-finals.

But he’ll have to get the better of a rival who can boast final triumphs as both a player and assistant manager.

Steve Clarke, who brings Reading to the John Smith’s Stadium for a third-round tie in which the winners will scoop £67,500, was right-back in the Ruud Gullit-managed Chelsea side who beat Middlesbrough 2-0 in 1997.

And in 2007, he was right-hand man to Jose Mourinho as Chelsea lifted the trophy with a 1-0 win over United in the first final to take place at the rebuilt national stadium.

Scotsman Clarke’s four-year stint in the Stamford Bridge dug-out also included home FA Cup wins over Town in 2005-06 (2-1 in round three with Mourinho as manager) and 2007-08 (3-1 in round five when Avram Grant was at the helm).

In addition the 51-year-old former West Bromwich Albion boss was assistant manager to Gullit as Newcastle United lost 2-0 to Manchester United back in the 1999 final at Wembley.

Clarke, who has also been assistant manager at West Ham United and Liverpool, replaced Nigel Adkins as Reading chief on December 16.

After a 1-0 home Championship defeat by Watford in his opening match, the Royals drew 2-2 at Brighton on Boxing Day before beating Norwich City 2-1 at the Madejski Stadium on Sunday.

They are 16th in the Championship, two places and one point above Town, who aim to reach round four for the third season running.

It’s a tie which pits Town against their former midfielder Ollie Norwood, who moved to the Madejski Stadium in a £1.2m deal in August.

And Powell said: “That’s a connection which adds interest to the game.”

It’s one of six all-Championship ties, and the manager added: “To be fair, you’d like to play a side you don’t normally come up against.

“But you take who you get in any cup draw, and we’ll get on with it.

“We’re at home, which is pleasing, and while this will be a good test, we want to progress to the fourth round. A cup run can galvanise a season.”

Clarke says the tie will give him the chance to see some of the players he has inherited in match action, but added: “There won’t be wholesale changes.”