Cardiff boss Dave Jones has called on his players to "rise to the occasion" against Barnsley on Sunday for the "biggest game in the history of the club for many, many years".

The Bluebirds take on the Tykes for a place in this year's FA Cup final, which Jones describes as the biggest domestic cup competition in the world.

It will be the first time City have appeared in the last four of the Cup since 1927 - the year they went on to become the only non-English side to lift the famous trophy.

Now Jones has challenged his team to write their own names into Cardiff folklore.

"The further you go in competitions, the games become bigger and bigger. There's no bigger than this one," he said.

"If you're looking at cup competitions it is the biggest in the world, I would say.

"You need your players to rise to the occasion. That doesn't just mean the match-winners - that means everybody.

"On the day whoever's got the shirt is a match-winner in their own right anyway, depending on what they do - whether it be a goalkeeper making a save or someone putting the ball in the back of the net - so I hope that they will all rise to the occasion.

"People say 'go and enjoy it', but you will only enjoy it if you win.

"I know which is the best feeling, and it's certainly winning things and not losing."

Jones admits his team talks have always been short and sweet - not that he should have to provide any extra motivation for a game of this magnitude anyway.

"If they need to be told that they are in the semi-finals of the FA Cup then they are not on the same planet, to be fair. I think they release what the game is all about," he said.

"It's the biggest game in the history of the club for many, many years - and we want to do ourselves proud and the supporters proud."

The game will provide Cardiff, who will begin as favourites, with a rare opportunity to play in front of a global audience - a chance which Jones is keen for them to simultaneously savour and seize.

"Forget what it means to the football club. As a person, as a player, it is a chance to go and perform on the biggest stage in this country," he said.

"The audience that they are going to be playing in front of is massive, because it will be all around the world as well.

"There are a lot of players used to this, so it's not going to be new to them. For the youngsters it will be, but what a great experience for them."

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Trevor Sinclair are among the seasoned veterans the City boss can call on, while 17-year-old midfielder Aaron Ramsey can count Sir Alex Ferguson among his admirers.

The highly-rated prospect needed permission from his school to make his City debut against Hull last season and has gone on to establish himself in and around Jones' first team this term.

The teenager revealed the influence of the experienced pair has played a crucial role in his development.

"It was strange at the beginning, but they are just another one of the lads now," said Ramsey.

"They give advice quite a lot, because obviously they have been at the highest level and they have bags of experience to help people like myself.

"It's a massive help, because they've been in my position before and they've gone on to become great professionals."

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