Danny North has backed another former League of Ireland striker to potentially throw down a banana skin in front of Manchester United in the League Cup on Wednesday night.
The Red Devils are desperately seeking a first win of the new season, after a stuttering start to the Premier League.
Rubin Amorim’s men suffered an opening day defeat to Arsenal and they followed that up last weekend with a poor display in a 1-1 draw away to Fulham.
Former St Patrick’s Athletic, Sligo Rovers and Shamrock Rovers striker North started his career at his hometown club Grimsby.
Tickets for the game sold out quickly, but the 37-year-old, who has moved into coaching with Northern Counties East League side Brigg Town, managed to get his hands on one.
And he hopes to see former Cobh Ramblers, Shelbourne and Cork City winger-turned-striker Jaze Kabia continue his sensational run of form so far with the League Two side.
Shelbourne's Jaze Kabia with the First Division trophy in 2019 (Image: INPHO/Ryan Byrne)
The Corkman signed from National League side Truro City during the summer and he hit the ground running, scoring four goals in his first six appearances so far.
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And he should have more to his name, as he has missed two of his four efforts from the penalty spot - against Accrington Stanley and Newport County.
“(Jaze) Kabia is on fire at the minute,” North told MirrorSport. “He’s missed a couple of penalties over the last couple of games, but other than that he has started really well.
Jaze Kabia in action for Cork City (Image: INPHO/Ken Sutton)
“And obviously Darragh Burns signed last year (from Shamrock Rovers), it took a while for him to settle, but he’s like a different player this year with a full pre-season under his belt.
“They’ve started well and I think they’ll both be key players.
“I watched (Burns) against Walsall away and he whipped the ball in for the goal.
“Obviously it’s not just about that; his workrate, everything up and down, the fans have really taken to him, to be honest.
“It took a while for him to get going last season, but they have seen a different player at the start of this season and they are all buzzing off him.
Darragh Burns playing for Shamrock Rovers against Chelsea in last year's Europa Conference League (Image: JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
“(Kabia) is playing as the number nine and he is obviously rapid, he’s quick, he’s got a bit about him.
“From what I’ve seen of him, Grimsby have lacked it in the last couple of years regarding stretching teams.
“With his pace, with his legs, that’s happening now and it’s made a massive difference so far.
“Obviously seeing what people from Truro were saying, obviously he was there last year, I think he played more as a winger, and they said he had obviously a bit of skill, a bit about him, quality on the ball.
“Now he has come in and is playing as the main number nine, like I say he has made a massive difference and the fans have taken to him.
“Every club loves a proper number nine and he has started really well. Long may it continue.”
North described the demand for the game as “crazy” as fans scrambled to get their hands on a ticket.
As for the prospect of facing a United team low on confidence, the 2013 FAI Cup winner said: “I think they’ll bring a strong team, purely because you look at the squad, they’ve got no Europe and it’s a chance to get into Europe as well.
Danny North celebrates Sligo Rovers' FAI Cup win in 2013 (Image: INPHO/Donall Farmer)
“It’s not like the old days where teams will bring a youth team. I genuinely think the size of the squad, the players that haven’t played yet for United this season, I think they’ll bring a fair few of them.
“It could be a potential banana skin for them, they’ve not started the greatest in the Premier League, so I think it’s one that they’ll want to get in, get the result and get out.”
Grimsby have had some big glamour cup ties down through the years. North played and scored against Burnley in the Carling Cup in 2007.
“In previous years, when I was a schoolboy, we beat Liverpool at Anfield and then lost to Arsenal in the following round,” he recalled.
“After that, I think the only team they’ve really been battered by would have been Chelsea in the cup, they lost 7-1.
“Other than that they’ve come up against Palace and teams like that, and they’ve always held their own.
“It’s going to be amazing. If they get any sort of result, people are going to talk about it forever.”
He added: “Obviously if (United) turn up and do it right, then they are going to come away with a result, there are no two ways about it.
“If Grimsby can hold on, the longer they hold on in that game, the bigger the chance late on that they can nick something.
“I was a YT when Town played Spurs at Blundell Park and we beat them 1-0. Spurs had Carrick, Defoe, they had pretty much a full squad.
“We hung on, then in the 87th minute John-Paul Kalala spanked one in from the edge of the box and it was pandemonium. The roof lifted off the place.
“Seeing the form United are in, if they come and do things right, of course they are going to come away with a result.
“But the confidence Grimsby have got at the minute, the start they’ve had is positive, what a chance for them.”
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