Former York City hot-shot Richard Cresswell is praying for a Royals' coup to line up an FA Cup dream.

Cresswell is now part of the Leicester City attack, who await the winners of York City's second round replay to be played at Reading in just under a week's time.

If the Minstermen can overturn the Second Division Royals then the club where the young England Under-21 marksman spent his formative years will be bound for the Foxes' Filbert Street den.

The chance to come up against his first club would be a dream come true for the 23-year-old.

Speaking exclusively to the Evening Press, Cresswell declared: "Everyone wants to play against their old club and I'm no different.

"I've not been back to City as a player since I moved two years ago, so I would love nothing better than for York to beat Reading, even though it's going to be tough in the replay. Then I would love to be involved against City for Leicester.

"It would be a great draw for York. For any team in the lower divisions it's always good to test yourself against one of the bigger clubs."

Fervently rooting for the Minstermen, where he was on City's books for more than five years as a teenage prospect through to his £1million transfer to Sheffield Wednesday almost two years ago, Cresswell said Leicester would not make the mistake of underestimating a potential clash against the Minstermen.

The Foxes' unexpected exit to Crystal Palace in their first crack at defending the Worthington Cup they won at Wembley last March has increased the desire to make a significant impact in the FA Cup.

"That was a big blow for Leicester and a shock to our fans," he said.

"We've got the chance to put that right in the FA Cup and we will be going all out to win it.

"We all know what underdogs can do in any cup competition, so we will be prepared. Our manager, Peter Taylor, will not leave anything to chance and if York did get through I'd remind the players just what a good cup record they have."

Cresswell recalled that he figured as a substitute for the Minstermen in their last cup showdown against the Foxes when Leicester beat City 2-0 at Bootham Crescent in the third round of the then Coca-Cola Cup four years ago.

"I remember Leicester playing ever so well that night. They did a real professional job on York after we had done so well to knock out Everton."

Two years later Cresswell was on the way from City when, after scoring 21 goals in a whirlwind six months for the Minstermen and earning under-21 recognition from his current boss Taylor, he was captured by Sheffield Wednesday.

However, he was unable to break into the Owls' first team. And after Wednesday suffered relegation from the elite last May, Cresswell was one of ten first-team squad members off-loaded to ease the Hillsborough club's crippling cash crisis. He joined Leicester in an £800,000 move three months ago.

A regular first-team place has proved elusive, though Cresswell is a regular in the senior squad and has banged in the goals for the Foxes' reserves.

"There's so many strikers here in the squad like Adi Akinbiyi, Trevor Benjamin and Darren Eadie, while even Muzzy Izzet has been used up front," he said.

"It's just a case of biding my time and taking my chance when it comes.

"Obviously, it would be brilliant if York could get past Reading and if I could then be involved."