AS far as memorable campaigns go, the current one promises riches for the Footballing Family Brown.

Son Michael has had his name up in lights all season, firing a host of spectacular goals as Sheffield United reached the last four of the Worthington Cup, last week beat Leeds to reach the semi-final of the FA Cup and push for promotion to the Premiership.

But this weekend and it's the turn of Dad, Bobby, to go for glory.

He will be on the sidelines as his team, Hartlepool Lion Hillcarter strive to keep up their impressive FA All-England Sunday Cup pedigree when they entertain Allerton of Liverpool on Sunday.

The Mike Gough Sports Hartlepool Sunday League side were runners-up in 1994 and winners of the prestigious competition two years ago, and have this year, with Bobby as chairman, reached the semi-finals of the FA competition.

They wouldn't mind going one better as well and emulating their visit to Villa Park in 2001.

But while they roar on the national stage, Lion are not having it all their own way in Hartlepool this season, with Rovers and Burn Valley pushing them all the way for the Premier Division crown.

Scousers Allerton have the incentive of playing at Anfield in the final if they can tame Lion and Brown said: "To be honest, I don't know much about Allerton other than it's going to be a tough tie. You expect it at this stage of the competition.

"But I know it will be a great opportunity for our lads to play at Pools.''

Playing and making their mark on such a prestigious competition without a pitch and ground of suitable standard within Hartlepool is galling for Brown and his club.

Plans are in place to renovate the town's King George V playing field to a suitable standard and Brown said: "We've played most of our games out of town at Horden or Billingham Synthonia, so it's nice to play in the town.

"We normally get three to four hundred people at our Cup games but I will be disappointed if we don't attract 1,000 this time.

"Playing in the town will be great for us and we hope we can do it more often in the future. I know grants are being sorted out - it's good for the town to have pitches and facilities of a high standard.''

And it's not only the pitch problems which Lion have overcome in recent years.

Every Sunday League club needs a base and when the Lion Hotel closed down - it's now a derelict building regularly set alight by the local fire starters - the football team nearly followed suit.

"In local league football, Lion have a hell of a name and reputation. Full credit to the Hillcarter Hotel - coming in to save us was the factor which saved the club," said Brown.

"If they hadn't, then we could have folded because things were starting to drift away. And then it was important to keep Lion in the name because it has some weight behind it.''

It's that sort of battling spirit and camaraderie which helped secure a semi-final spot. After an appeal for help in funding an overnight stay fell on deaf Hartlepool ears, it meant an early morning start for their quarter-final trip to Northampton.

"It took a few minutes to get going and then we had the experience and the players to close the game up,'' said Brown. "One thing we have plenty of is experience and when they played a very open game, we could shut them down.''

If Sunday's tie boils down to penalties, there's plenty of spot kick pedigree in the team and you can expect goalkeeper Steve Tierney to once again come into his own.

He was the hero when they lifted the cup in 2001 and the 29-year-old keeper fondly recalls the Villa Park thriller against FC Houghton Centre.

"We should have won in 90 minutes because we had the chances, but it went to extra time and then penalties,'' he said. "I remember thinking I was either going to be the hero or the villain."

Houghton missed their first attempt, Lion scored. The Bedfordshire side netted their next two, but Lion missed their third to bring the scores level.

Tierney saved their next penalty, Lion failed to capitalise on their fourth effort. But the big No 1 made his third save to ensure victory.

But penalties proved their downfall last season, going down 5-4 to Albion Sports in the quarter finals.

Tierney, who also plays for Northern League Horden, said: "We felt gutted to lose last year. Having said that, we went on to the County Cup final and I scored the winning penalty - no-one else wanted it.''

Brown recalled: "He was unbelievable at Villa Park. He's a big lad and a big character, but he's a great goalkeeper. When it comes down to penalties all you can do is hope the lads are switched on and stay composed.''

And while Tierney keeps them out, at the other end Northern League legend Paul Pitman is busy putting the chances away.

Brown said: "He's been a revelation for us this season. His pedigree is as long as your arm.

"He is always a threat. He was drifting out of the game and we talked him back into it. But that's credit to Allan Martin and Mick Larkin who did all the hard work.

"They are joint managers and are working well together. Everyone in the town knows Allan and he has worked well with Mick this season.

"He's a fiery character, the sort who wears his heart on his sleeve, I've known him chuck chairs about in the dressing room!''

Martin's son - Alan - was part of the Whitby side, Pitman included, which won the FA Vase at Wembley in 1997. "He's club captain and a tremendous player,'' said Brown. "It's important he is fit.''

Sunday's squad will also include former Manchester United trainee Gavin Naylor - "a matchwinner on his day", ex-Hartlepool United defender Andy Davies and ex-Pool trainee Craig Lines