Neville hopes for cup joy

Defeat in the 2009 FA Cup final still eats away at Everton captain Phil Neville and he remains determined to put it right.

The Toffees lost 2-1 to Chelsea at Wembley almost three years ago but the disappointment of that reverse is still felt by Neville.

Hopes of another shot at winning the trophy they last lifted in 1995 have been raised in recent weeks with Everton due to play Blackpool in the fifth round at Goodison Park on Saturday.

The memory of being a losing finalist is what spurs on Neville towards securing a Wembley return.

"Wembley is not a place for losers, it is a place for winners," the 35-year-old, who won the FA Cup three times with Manchester United but played in only two finals, told FATV. "There is no worse a feeling than losing a game at Wembley so that still rankles with me. That is motivation and hopefully I can go back to Wembley - let's hope it is this year.

"It is my favourite competition out of them all and if you get to the fifth round you are nearly at that stage of getting to Wembley for the semi-finals. The carrot is there for us, we just have to take the chance."