George Graham hopes to inspire his players to victory today by telling them what a great feeling it is to hold an FA Cup winner's medal.

Spurs take on First Division strugglers Stockport at White Hart Lane, bidding to book their place in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

Manager Graham has tasted the glory of winning the competition as a player and manager with Arsenal, and he will relay his greatest cup memory in a bid to boost his team.

''To hold an FA Cup winner's medal in your hands is fantastic,'' said Graham. ''My best memory is as a player, coming from a goal down to beat Liverpool 2-1 in the 1971 final.

''It is a unique competition. The British love a David versus Goliath situation, and it happens so many times that a David slays a Goliath.

The British love the underdog winning. I think that is what has driven the FA Cup on and on.

''Nowadays the competition is televised live all over the world. It just shows how important it is."

Graham is determined his players will not underestimate their opposition, even though there is a massive gulf between the two clubs, on paper on least.

He continued: ''We have watched a video of Stockport and they are well organised. They are a big, strong team, capable of changing their formation, but we have a fair indication of what we are going to be up against.

''I have told the players to respect their opponents, and to impose ourselves on them without underestimating them.''

Spurs are on a high after two important victories in a week. They beat Charlton in the FA Cup fourth round then secured their first away win in the Premiership this season at Manchester City.

''It has been a very good week for the club and I am very pleased for the players,'' said Graham.

''We have come in for a lot of criticism recently but it has been way over the top when you consider we have gone eight games without defeat.

''The team spirit has been first class all the time and I haven't had to work very hard on that side of things. These last two victories should give them lots of confidence.''

Spurs have been hit this week by injuries to England midfielder Darren Anderton and Republic of Ireland international defender Steve Carr.

Anderton suffered an Achilles injury at Maine Road last weekend, which rules him out of action for at least a fortnight, while Carr broke down in training with a recurrence of the abdominal injury which saw him miss seven games, before returning as a substitute at Charlton last week.

Anderton had been employed as a wing-back by Graham in recent weeks, so Spurs are short of defenders this weekend as Chris Perry is also ruled out after gashing his calf at Maine Road, while Ben Thatcher and Mauricio Taricco are long-term absentees.

The only bright news for Spurs is that strikers Les Ferdinand and Steffen Iversen both played 20 minutes of a reserve match on Tuesday and will be in the squad, although Chris Armstrong is out with a pelvic problem.