Rochdale's youth team will enjoy a trip to Premier outfit Aston Villa this Wednesday night but for manager Chris Beech the night won't just be about a day trip to the Midlands.

"We are really looked forward to the challenge.The boys at Aston Villa obviously play at Premiership level and we will give them that respect but we aren't going along to make up the numbers.I want them to enjoy it, express themselves and do the things we have worked on right.If they do we will enjoy the evening whatever the outcome but they do understand this is not a day out for us.

"In the last round against Oldham Athletic we put in a decent performance but I honestly feel we have played better than that on occasion this season.I'd say we were about 20% below our best and we will need to be at 100% on Wednesday night.

"We have prepared very well for the game and we are delighted to be in the third round of the FA Youth Cup and I don't know the last time we found ourselves in the third round of this competition.

"The lads have already done well to reach this stage and we are all looking forward to it very much.We have done our homework, we understand who their threats are and we have looked at what we consider their weaknesses.We will be working on our strategies in training in the run up to the game and we have a full squad to choose from.

"Their players will be used to playing against Manchester United, Everton and the likes week in week out and it is a completely different ball game when you compare their scholarship levels to ours.My lads are going home at 11.30pm after a Tuesday night first team game because they have to clean up.I believe at all levels we should retain those elements in football because it is a grounding for the boys.

"We have had a couple of players involved with the first team this season and they aren't there to make up numbers.Keith Hill and Dave Flitcroft have very high standards and the lads from the youth squad are there because they deserve to be."

Money in League Two is scarce enough but things get tighter at youth team level and every revenue stream is explored and acted upon.Chris explains that sometimes it's not enough to reach the levels of professionalism he requires and the parents of the squad help out in whatever way they can.

"I can take my hat off to the parents of our academy squads because they drive the lads around at 15 and 16 years old and they go above and beyond what we expect of them.They support the lads every week at Rossendale and they help generate income for the set up doing football cards to help pay our IT man who videos the game.We do everything we can to provide the best opportunity to our scholars because we don't live in an excuse environment.There are no excuses for anything, if we cannot find money from one avenue we'll look down another.

"I'm sure the lads will go home some days and have a good moan about me but I remember when I was 16 or 17 on a Saturday morning when I was playing.You have to remain positive and keep a good attitude and then make it difficult for the coach to leave you out the following week by putting a good stint in on the training ground.

"I'd like to use this opportunity to thank Aston Villa for their hospitality.They have been fantastic in making everything we need available.We'll get down there early have a look around and they are providing the lads with a pre-match meal so I cannot thank them enough.

"We have good support travelling down there and I appreciate that support from the Dale fans.The players have done very well to get to this stage especially when you consider we have played away in every round so far. It would be nice to get a home tie in the next round so we have to win this game to give us that chance.We're confident but the lads aren't stupid.Aston villa players are at Aston Villa for a reason.They are an International standard of football player but we are going into it with nothing to lose.We are going there to play football against a fantastic team in a fantastic environment and apply ourselves to the challenge of getting through to the next round."