Danny Carey-Bertram has caught a heavy dose of cup fever as AFC Telford United prepare to face his old club Forest Green Rovers in the Setanta Shield final tonight (8pm).

The match is being screened live by the Irish broadcaster, projecting the Bucks onto a national stage for the first time since the club was reborn in the summer of 2004.

Hundreds of fans are expected to make the trip to Gloucestershire for the big match and striker Carey-Bertram admits he is hungry for success.

“Everyone’s buzzing about it,” he said. “We’re in a cup final, live on Setanta, and the boys can’t wait.

“It doesn’t matter where you are, trophies and medals are what you want. If you win, then for years to come you can always look back on it.”

Carey-Bertram knows Forest Green’s New Lawn ground better than anyone in the Telford camp, having spent a year-and-a-half on the books of the Gloucestershire club.

Much of that time was spent playing second fiddle to the prolific Stuart Fleetwood, who was eventually sold to Charlton and is currently banging in the goals on a loan spell at League Two Exeter.

Yet Forest Green boss Jim Harvey does not have a bad word to say about the 24-year-old hitman, admitting he was rather unfortunate to be let go.

“Danny could probably count himself a bit unlucky to be released last year, as he had a pretty decent scoring record during his time with us,” said the vastly-experienced Harvey.

“I never had a problem with his attitude or his personality – it was purely a football decision to let him go.

“He was unfortunate to be competing for a starting place with Stuart Fleetwood, who got 36 goals, but I can remember him coming into the side on the back of very little football and scoring a first-half hat-trick up at Droylsden.

“That showed what he is capable of and I would imagine he feels he has a point to prove.”

For his part, Carey-Bertram shows no malice towards his former boss and readily admits he is excited about the prospect of going back to show the fans who used to cheer him on exactly what he can do.

“Just to be in a cup final is a good thing, but it’s even better that it’s against my former club and I’m looking forward to it a lot,” he added.

“I had a good 18 months there and did well. It’s a good club and they’ve got a good manager.

“I did well when I first went there and I’d like to think I helped keep the boys up.

“In the second season I thought I did well when I played and, as he says, I thought I was unlucky to get released from there.”

There is only one thing that can hold him back, that age-old frustration of the professional footballer – injury.

Carey-Bertram has been forced to sit out the last two matches and his involvement tonight is far from certain.

“At the moment I’d say it’s 50/50, but I’m going to do everything I can to at least be involved in the game,” he said.

“I’ve been struggling with an ankle injury but we’re at the stage of the season where I haven’t got a lot of time to rest up.”