Birmingham v Sunderland

St Andrews
Wednesday, 25 February 2004
Fifth Round Replay
Kick-off: 1945 GMT
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral)
Winners:
Home to Sheffield United in the quarter-finals



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Birmingham team news will appear here.

Sunderland captain Jason McAteer is a doubt after complaining of an ear infection after their 4-0 defeat at Cardiff on Saturday.

Striker Darren Byfield is cup-tied but keeper Michael Ingram is available.




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Sunderland (from): Poom, Wright, McCartney, Bjorklund, Breen, Oster, Whitley, McAteer, Arca, Kyle, Stewart, Ingham, Williams, Thirlwell, Clark, Smith, Thornton.



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KEY MATCH STATS


BIRMINGHAM CITY have their sights set on a place in the last eight for the first time in two decades. They fought out a 1-1 draw with Sunderland in the original tie on Valentines Day. Kevin Kyle's equaliser wiped out Mikael Forssell's stunning individual goal for the Blues.

The Midlanders beat Sunderland in the Fourth Round in 1984 when they last qualified for the Quarter-finals. Wrexham were the last lower division side to knock out the Brummies, who were then a First Division outfit. The Welsh Second Division club won 1-3 at St Andrews in the Fifth Round on 15 February 1997.

Steve Bruce's side have beaten Blackburn and Wimbledon at home to get this far - their only victories in four seasons in the FA Cup. This is the sixth time the Midlanders have been paired with Sunderland. Birmingham have won all five of the previous Cup meetings.

SUNDERLAND from the Nationwide First Division have won the FA Cup twice, whereas Premiership Birmingham have never won the competition but have been runners-up twice.

The Black Cats have emulated last season when they reached the Fifth Round. Their last appearance in the Quarter-finals was in the 1991/92 season, when they went on lose to Liverpool in the Final. Their victory over Division One Norwich City in the semi-finals that year was the last time the North East club, then in the old Second Division, knocked out a higher division club.

The Wearsiders tumbled to a 4-0 defeat at Cardiff on Saturday - their second loss in ten games. Birmingham are unbeaten in eight League and Cup games (three wins, five draws) and have only lost once in ten games this calendar year.


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HEAD TO HEAD


Comp Total Birmingham Sunderland Draws
All* 104 31 47 19
FAC 8 (7) 5 1 2

* includes all games from the Premiership, Football League, FA Cup, League Cup and major European competitions
Number of Ties in ()

FA CUP MEETINGS

Date Rnd Res
14 Mar 1931 SF Birmingham 2-0 Sunderland
09 Feb 1946 5 1L Sunderland 1-0 Birmingham
13 Feb 1946 5 2L Birmingham 3-1 Sunderland
17 Mar 1956 SF Birmingham 3-0 Sunderland
03 Jan 1981 3 Birmingham 1-1 Sunderland
07 Jan 1981 3R Sunderland 1-2 Birmingham
28 Jan 1984 4 Sunderland 1-2 Birmingham
14 Feb 2004 5 Sunderland 1-1 Birmingham



MAYBE HUGHESY CAN BE THE MAN TOMMOROW AND TAKE US INTO THE QUARTERS

Don't worry Scoobs I'm sure the boys will be up for it.

I'm nervous,

I wanna go

Is there anyone here not going?

Don't depress me

Won't your daddy bring you over?

Are you joking....that man won't even bring me to Dublin for an Ireland match becasue as he says "Its full of Englands rejects". Which is true to a certain extent but still

I'll get over on my own sometime in the not so far future

I'm sure someone would meet you at the airport, and drive you to the game.

I'd be selective with who you ask, there are some right weirdos on here Caren.

Does your dad like the English?

Ive got to work

ditto

She's too skinny

I'm not going . although, as they always seem to play badly when I go perhaps it's a good thing.

I keep thinking about Foolham and when they knocked us out in the Semi when we were far the better team which has me nervous. However, we are a far better team now than then, so we should be alright.

This is the kind of game that 'old Blues' would have fallen flat on their faces in.

Coly and Powell aren't playing this time devon so don't worry too much