THE summer of 2002 was a dark one indeed for Salisbury City.

The cash-strapped Wiltshire club were in such deep trouble that they unofficially tendered their resignation to the Dr Martens League.

Amid the crisis, assistant manager Tommy Killick lost his job, even threatening to take the former club owners to tribunal for unfair dismissal.

But then a dramatic rescue package was launched by local businessmen Neville Beal and Dave Harrold and, 15 months later, the sun has come out again at Old Sarum.

Having stood by the club in the depths of gloom, Killick is looking forward to one of the biggest occasions of his football career when the Whites take on Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup first round at Hillsborough on Sunday.

Saints '76 FA Cup hero Nick Holmes, who was enticed back from his property management business in Florida to manage the rebirth of his old home town club, cannot speak highly enough of his right-hand man.

Holmes had lost touch after three years away in the States and has tapped heavily into Killick's in-depth knowledge of the non-League scene to get Salisbury back on their feet again.

The Whites boss said: "Tom's been invaluable to me. I wouldn't know where to look if he ever fancied giving it a go on his own in management. His contacts are excellent. He knows everyone in the area and most of what has happened here player-wise is down to him.

"A lot of people said the two of us would never be able to work together, but it's been quite the opposite.

"Tom's wonderful with the lads and has a great rapport with them, which means I can be the grumpy, old fart!"

Killick is no stranger to the big stage having scored twice for Wimborne Town in their 1992 FA Vase triumph over Guiseley in front of a 10,772 Wembley crowd.

At 34, the Poole-based solicitor admits that managing cannot equal the excitement of actually playing at Sheffield, but says his greatest emotion on Sunday will be pride in those players who have stood loyally by the club through thick and thin.

The likes of Andy Cook, Wayne Turk, Scott Bartlett, Kevin Sawyer, Roger Emms, Matt Davies, Darren Crook and Michael Cooper were all on board when the club reached crisis point two summers ago and Killick said: "I'm so proud of the way they've stuck together.

"They're a genuine, honest, hard-working bunch of lads who deserve their big day out.

"There are a lot of players at a lot of clubs who are not always there for the right reasons, but I've always said that ours aren't like that. If they were mercenary, they wouldn't be at Salisbury.

"All they want is to play football. They're so enthusiastic that they're like kids in the park sometimes."

Sunday's game is a well-earned reward for Killick too. Salisbury were relegated from the Dr Martens Premier Division when he was right-hand man to Taffy Richardson two seasons ago, but many of that bright, young side, in whom in invested so much faith, will be treading the turf at Hillsborough tomorrow.

Killick said: "That was a very traumatic time and I know that quite a few of the supporters still associate me with one of Salisbury's worst ever seasons, so it's good that something positive has come out of it. I'm pleased with the quality of player we've been able to bring here on quite limited resources."

Win or lose, Killick reckons the Hillsborough experience will easily surpass his glory day at Wembley. He said: "People go on about the Vase, but it wasn't as major as some might think - or maybe I'm just saying that because it's a distant memory now!

"The FA Cup's the big one and Sunday will be the biggest occasion I've ever been involved in."