BIRMINGHAM, April 22: Alan Pardew has urged his West Ham players to use the experience of last season's Championship play-off final victory to give them the edge in Sunday's FA Cup semifinal against Middlesbrough.
West Ham go into the game against Boro as underdogs, despite the possibility of fatigue affecting Middlesbrough that endured a gruelling trip to Romania to face Steaua Bucharest in the UEFA Cup semifinal first-leg on Thursday. Having failed to lift major silverware since their FA Cup final victory against Arsenal in 1980, success is long overdue for Hammers.—Agencies