ANDY BUTLER is looking forward to another meeting with his old mate Billy Sharp when Sheffield United visit the Galpharm in the second round of the Carling Cup on Wednesday.

And Town’s centre-back will be aiming to shut out his former Scunthorpe colleague for the second time this month.

The 22-year-old was kept quiet when Butler and Co beat the Blades 2-1 in a friendly three weeks ago.

But the stakes are far higher this time – and Sharp showed his mettle by firing a hat trick as former Town goalkeeper and coach Kevin Blackwell’s side thumped fancied QPR 3-0 at Bramall Lane in last Saturday’s Championship clash.

Butler knows all about Sharp’s prowess, having played alongside him in the Scunthorpe side which won the League I title in 2007.

Sharp netted 32 times that campaign, including both goals in the 2-0 Glanford Park win over Town which sealed promotion.

That took his haul to 56 in two seasons, and persuaded Sheffield to splash out £1.5m to bring back a player they had sold to the Iron for £100,000.

He had a tough time under Bryan Robson last time around, being unable to cement a regular berth.

But Blackwell, who took over in February, gave him an extended run, and it seems he is now reaping the rewards.

“That was my best display in a Blades shirt,” said Sheffield-born Sharp, a boyhood United fan, of the QPR clash.

“My dream was always to play for United and score at the Kop end, so to get a hat trick there was fantastic.

“I came in on a high last season, but it didn’t go as planned. But the manager has believed in me and played me and that has given me the belief to go out and perform.”

Sharp has yet to score in three appearances at the Galpharm, and Butler is desperate to ensure that barren run continues.

But the 24-year-old, who has helped Town keep two clean sheets in their three competitive games going into today’s home League I meeting with MK Dons, knows he’s in for a tough evening – and that Sharp isn’t the only dangerman.

“Billy’s the obvious one because of his hat trick against QPR,” said the Doncaster-based defender.

“He’s a player I know well because of our time at Scunthorpe, and it’s no surprise he’s coming good, because he’s quality.

“He has pace and an eye for goal, and his hold-up play is good as well.”

While James Beattie has missed the start of the season through injury, Blackwell, who cut his coaching teeth at Town under Neil Warnock in the mid-Nineties, has other frontline options in ex-Galpharm favourite Jon Stead, Darius Henderson, their £2m summer signing from Watford, Welsh international David Cotterill and former Manchester United trainee Danny Webber.

“They’re a good side, there’s no doubt about that, but we are coming along nicely and it’s got all the makings of a cracking cup-tie,” added Butler, who has quickly developed a solid partnership with Chris Lucketti, one of four former Sheffield United men in the Town squad (the others being David Unsworth, Danny Cadamarteri and Luke Beckett).

“I’m really enjoying playing alongside Chris, because he’s a great talker and a great leader, both on and off the pitch.

“He might be 36, but he’s in great condition, and he’s a player I can learn a lot from.”

Town had conceded only one goal (in the opening-day League I draw with Stockport County) ahead of today’s MK game, and Butler is delighted with that statistic.

“There’s an old saying that strikers win games but defenders win championships, and if we can keep going as we are, I’ll be more than happy, because this team has goals in it,” he added.