Sir Trevor Brooking believes one of the three Championship clubs involved in the FA Cup semi-finals can go all the way and win the trophy.As the FA's amiable director of football development his links with the trophy are as firm as ever, especially as the man who conducts the draw at Soho Square while supporters, players and officials gather around radios or televisions to learn their fate.
But loyal one-club man Brooking has another special place in FA Cup folklore as the last player to score a winning goal in the final for a team from outside England's top division, when West Ham beat Arsenal 1-0 in 1980.
So at the start of a week which will see three Championship sides battling for a place in the 2008 final, it is no surprise that Brooking's thoughts are mainly with the underdogs trying to steal the thunder from Harry Redknapp's Premier League Portsmouth in the semi-finals at Wembley.
Stylish ball-player Brooking, who stunned fans and pundits alike by scoring with a rare header against the Gunners, said: "If you had told me it would be 28 years before it happened again I would have been very surprised, but you've got three chances now.
"I know Portsmouth would say that, hopefully, it is still not going to happen but I always thought this season there was an opportunity for it.
"We've seen Barnsley and Cardiff playing exceptionally well, winning on merit, and it's great that there is an occasion coming up which promises to see so many not-so-famous players end up with an experience that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.
"West Brom? I can certainly see them doing something. I was there when they scored five at Bristol Rovers in the sixth round, five at Coventry and three at Peterborough.
"They've been desperate to make sure I would be at their semi-final as their lucky mascot but maybe they were not quite so happy with me when they drew Pompey.
"Cardiff and Barnsley also play good stuff and I don't think any of them will be intimidated by Wembley because they'll think it is a chance to show what they can do to a big audience."
Whatever happens, Brooking is convinced it will end up a much more exciting spectacle than the stultifying Chelsea-Manchester United final last season or the drab Arsenal-United clash, decided on penalties, a couple of years earlier at Cardiff.
His own West Ham made a much better show of it with a thrilling 3-3 draw against Liverpool, only to also lose on penalties in 2006, and he said: "The bigger clubs have players who, even though the new stadium has only been open just over a year, have been there a few times already.
"For most of the ones involved now it is going to be a special experience.
"There's been a lot of debate whether the semi-finals should be at Wembley as well as the final.
"Yes, of course it was always in the FA's business plan but look at the semi-final at Villa Park last year when there were only 17,000 tickets for each set of fans.
"For me, the fact you can get almost double that figure now will be great.
"And the clubs, I know, are sure it will be a big occasion. What was it, 1912, the year the Titanic sunk, when Barnsley were last in a final? Cardiff the winners in 1927? Even Pompey have to go back 69 years for their last final appearance.
"The fact they've had to wait so long will make it special.
"It has been a bizarre competition and people have said we (the FA) must be upset that none of the recognised big clubs are left but I know the four clubs and their fans are delighted - and so am I.
"You've got to say this is was what the FA Cup needed. It is strange we've ended up with four so-
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