FA Cup: Wycombe heroes to cherish every moment

Wycombe's ageing FA Cup heroes will cherish every moment of their historic semi-final date with Liverpool at Villa Park.

There will be at least half-a-dozen thirty-somethings in Wanderers' starting line-up on Sunday.

And for most of Lawrie Sanchez's battle-hardened troops it could be their one and only showpiece occasion in relatively undistinguished careers.

The Chairboys would be forgiven for stage fright, playing in front of nearly 40,000 instead of half-empty stands and against a team studded with internationals rather than the usual Second Division fare.

These boys, though, rather like their manager love upsetting the big boys. Sanchez, most famously, ruined things for the Reds 13 years ago with that flick of the forehead that guided Wimbledon to Wembley glory.

Midfielder Steve Brown, 34, insists the neutrals favourite semi-finalists will savour the occasion of mixing it with their £40,000-a-week Premiership opponents.

Crazy Gang chants, borrowed from Sanchez's past, will be conspicuous by their absence but Brown and Co will not be intimidated amid higher society.

"I used to feel like that every time I went past a Mercedes or BMW dealers in my Vauxhall, but it didn't stop me going back again," said Brown, a Wanderer who will pick up just £250 as a win bonus if Wycombe perform the improbable.

"A few of us have never been in this situation before and some of us will never experience it again, so it's so important to relish the occasion."

For Brown and Sanchez it will be an emotional day whatever the result with their young sons Maxwell, a brave 20-month-old boy who has endured more than 20 operations since birth, and Jack as the mascots.

Sanchez's goal in 1988 has already been re-run on television hundreds of times since the draw was made and expect to see it at least another handful before the 4pm kick-off.

But Brown said his amiable manager would also want to be remembered for guiding the Buckinghamshire club to a major semi-final just eight years after arriving in the Football League.

"He wants us to go out and make our own headlines, like the ones we have already made as we have progressed.

"The gaffer will want to be remembered more for his managerial ability rather than what he achieved in 1988," said Brown.