Bristol Rovers boss offers his file on Norwich to Paulton Rovers

Bristol Rovers boss Paul Trollope has offered Paulton Rovers a hand in their bid to pull off a major FA Cup giantkilling act against Norwich City on Saturday.

Trollope saw the Canaries at their ruthless best last month as they pummelled Bristol Rovers 5-1 in a League One encounter at Carrow Road.

Rovers had the East Anglian side extensively scouted in advance of their meeting and Trollope says he will be happy to pass on any information he can to Paulton boss Andy Jones ahead of Saturday's first-round tie.

"I've spoken to 'Jonah' quite a lot over the last few weeks, although he hasn't called about Norwich yet. But, if he needs anything, we'll be more than willing to help," said Trollope. "We have got quite a dossier on Norwich – although it didn't help us!

"Congratulations to Paulton for getting to the first round proper – it's been a long journey for them to get this far and, by all accounts, they've deserved it.

"To get drawn against a team with Norwich's history and pedigree is fantastic for them and the fact it's live on TV makes it extra special. We wish them well – hopefully they will fare a little bit better against Norwich than we did recently."

Rovers agreed to let a couple of their youngsters join Paulton on loan this season, with defender James Tyrell and striker Neikell Plummer both playing their part in the Somerset club's progress.

"We have a couple of young boys down there who have contributed to their cup run and we hope we can see them in the second round," said Trollope. "Paulton will appreciate they face a very tough test, but magic things can happen in the FA Cup.

"There is a big gulf in class but the magic of the Cup is that teams from a lower level get the chance to pit their wits against strong teams.

"They have a lot of Championship-standard players and with the fan base they have and size of the club, it's a Premier League set-up.

"Whatever happens, it will be a fantastic day and I'm sure Paulton will be right up for it. Hopefully, the game will capture the imagination of the local people who can cheer them on to an upset."