THE romance of the FA Cup? Try telling that to Sam Allardyce after a string of heartbreaking knock-out memories both as a player and a manager.

From Carling Cup final defeat as Bolton boss to Wembley misery for the Trotters in the mid 1980’s, Allardyce’s desire to one day get his hands on a trophy on football’s hallowed turf has only grown in intensity.

Add to that a still-painful rejection from this afternoon’s opponents and any suggestions that Rovers’ fifth round FA Cup tie against Coventry City will be an anti-climax can quickly be forgotten.

The Rovers boss may well use the Ewood Park clash as a chance to give some of his squad players some match action ahead of a tense relegation battle but, with a potential FA Cup quarter final just 90 minutes away, Allardyce is determined to write his name into the football record books.

He said: “Absolutely it is a big thing to lift that trophy. You are talking history breaking stuff. You can’t take that away from anyone who achieves it.

“I thought the best final for many, many years was last year because everything around it was what the FA Cup is about. Irrespective of the negative stuff being said about it being Portsmouth versus Cardiff.

“I was there, I saw a group of players and fans who had the best day of their life for many, many years and they will remember it for the rest of their life.

“I then watched the play-off final at Wembley with Phil Brown and these are days that don’t come very often and if you have the opportunity to grasp them, you have to try and we have got that chance now.

“You just hope it is your turn. In my time at Bolton we managed to toss that away. There was not a better time to win a trophy for the first time for a long time.”

While for many the so-called ‘magic of the cup’ may already have vanished, Rovers’ boss remains a big admirer of the world’s most famous club competition.

With most just focusing on the Premier League and the riches associated with it, Allardyce’s attitude to the one of football’s oldest institutions remains a refreshing change.

He said: “It has nothing to do with money. The football players and manager are in it for the glory. Getting to Wembley is the dream for anyone in the game in this country.

“At Bolton we got to the semi and final of the Carling Cup and lost and the semi final of the FA Cup and lost.

“Wembley is a great venue. I have had two experiences at Wembley. One as a sub for Bolton when we lost to Bristol City in the Freight Rover Trophy in 1986 and one in the semi final of the FA Cup with Bolton again when we lost and Dean Holdsworth missed that sitter. I still have nightmares about that.

“At the Millennium Stadium we lost the Carling Cup final and won the play-offs against Preston. Fantastic days that you always remember. It is why you work so hard and why you commit yourself to the job.”

Despite his love for the cup, Allardyce will realise the importance of securing Rovers’ Premier League status above all else, with Middlesbrough the perfect example to taking a cup too seriously.

Bryan Robson’s 1997 side, boasting the likes of Juninho, Ravenelli and Emerson, suffered the dreaded drop while reaching both major cup finals - but Allardyce is confident Rovers’ squad could cope with the demands.

He said: “It was well documented that Robbo at that stage, both in the Carling Cup and FA Cup, detracted from points in the league. Obviously a very bad decision about not playing one game here as well.

“It can add a burden on to you but I think when you are winning and the good publicity that comes your way can only enhance our Premier League performances, as long as we don’t get any injuries.

“As long as we don’t take it to a replay. We have got to do it on Saturday. The Premier League is shut down for the FA Cup and we have all of next week to recover for Manchester United.”

Combined with his desire for cup glory, Allardyce goes into this afternoon’s fixture with Championship Coventry still resentful over the manner of his exit as a player back in 1984.

“I came back to find my boots in a black bin liner,” he said. “I have never forgiven Bobby Gould for that to be honest with you.

“I was expecting to stay on and get a new contract, it was promised to me, but they went back on their promise. It was a great shame for me because I really enjoyed my time there.

“The other disappointing thing was they got to the cup final not long after and won.

"I always thought that could have been me. I knew all the lads that played in it. I was absolutely gutted but there was nothing I could do about it.”