AS someone who grew up just a few minutes away from the Emirates, Chris Forino couldn’t hide his excitement at Wednesday night’s Carabao Cup draw.

After beating Shrewsbury Town on Tuesday night Wanderers have been paired with Premier League title chasers Arsenal in the third round – a game which has special significance for the Islington born-and-bred centre-back.

“There were loads of phone calls and messages from my family when the draw came out – I grew up 10 minutes from the Emirates and went to school five minutes around the corner,” he told The Bolton News. “I went to loads of games as a kid, it couldn’t have been much better to be honest.

“I remember watching Thierry Henry playing for them against Juventus in a Champions League fixture, I was at a sleepover at my friend’s house about six years old, and I was just thinking ‘wow!’ “I never got the pleasure to go to Highbury but to go and play at the Emirates, it’s what you dream of as a player. You want the opportunity to play the big boys, be it away or at home. This one is a little more special because there will be a lot of people I know there, lots of family, and I’m just really excited.

“I hope they do well this year, just not on the night we go down there!”

Wanderers haven’t met the Gunners in any competition since their Premier League days, and the demand for tickets is likely to be sky-high to see them play in such luxurious surroundings again.

“We’re on a journey here as a football club and with the gaffer’s signings, the long-term plan is to be at that level again,” Forino added.

Wanderers have not been to the third round stage since 2017, when they played at West Ham United – who had only recently moved into their new stadium at the time.

Fans with slightly longer memories will remember Bruce Rioch’s team travelling down to Arsenal’s old home of Highbury in the FA Cup and delivering a shock 3-1 win after extra time against the Gunners, then managed by George Graham.

Ian Evatt was delighted with the draw but says the focus has to be fixed on the league games for the moment.

“Cup runs at the moment are a help and not a hindrance because we have players we need to get up to speed, and for once we didn’t get Calais away on a Tuesday night,” he said.

“It’s a big draw that we can really look forward to, and everyone is super excited for it, but as I said to the players this morning we have to park it a little bit for the moment – a bit like I have with chocolate.”