York City's Lenell John-Lewis faces anxious wait to see if he will be fit for FA Cup tie which is big on so many levels

The 33-year-old came off in the first half of last week's 2-0 defeat at home to Southend United and faces an anxious wait to see if he will be fit to face former club Shrewsbury Town.

Saturday will be about catching up with friends but the striker also wants to show what he can do against a League One side.

The game is important for the club too – not only financially but in terms of morale after four winless Conference games and chairman Glen Henderson bringing tensions with manager John Askey into the open.

"I would love to be involved in another game against an old club, like Bury (who York beat in the last round) was," said the club’s seven-goal top-scorer this season. "I've got a couple of friends there, so I want to be involved.

"I follow most of my old clubs and I have good affinities with most. They're going well and I'm glad but Saturday is our day.

"For clubs at our level, the money's always important and we want to get back to winning ways."

For John-Lewis, who had three years at the New Meadow but made all but five of his 53 league appearances from the bench, there is also the incentive to impress.

"That's why the FA Cup's so great," he said. "You get to the first round and you want to play better opposition and show what you can do as a team and individuals."

There is also an undercurrent after Henderson's comments about Askey, who managed John-Lewis at Shrewsbury.

On Radio York this week, Henderson revealed “spats” with Askey, who he claimed told him: "Don't tell me how to do my job."

Under the circumstances, a Cup win would certainly lift the mood.