ANDY Todd will savour the greatest moment of his professional career this Saturday just a year after being told he had no future with Blackburn Rovers.
Centre-back Todd will lead Rovers out at the Millennium Stadium for the club's first FA Cup semi-final since 1960, with Arsene Wenger's Arsenal standing in their way of a place in the final.
Yet last April it was a different story for Todd, who was bombed out of the first-team picture following a fall-out with then manager Graeme Souness over his axing for a vital Premiership fixture with Leeds United.
At one point, Todd was forced to train with the club's youngsters and Souness even tried to off-load him to Wigan in a cut-price deal last summer.
However, Souness then left Ewood Park to take up the reins at Newcastle in September and with the subsequent arrival of current boss Mark Hughes, Todd saw a window of opportunity.
The 30-year-old had to wait to be given a chance by the Welshman, after which he made such an impression that Hughes made Todd his captain following the transfer-window departure of Barry Ferguson to Rangers.
Todd has not looked back since, with the irony being that 24 hours after skippering Blackburn against the Gunners, Souness will follow him into Cardiff as Newcastle take on Manchester United in the other semi final.
"I'm very proud to be skipper of this team and Saturday will be a proud day for me," exclaimed Todd, who has been an instrumental figure in Rovers' Premiership resurgence under Hughes.
"It's been a big turnaround for me at Blackburn, and to lead the team out at Cardiff will be a very memorable occasion.
"To reach the semi final of the FA Cup doesn't come along too often in your career, so we are determined to have a good day out at Cardiff.
"It's going to be a massive day, although clearly the league remains the priority for us because we still need a few more points to be safe.
"But we're certainly enjoying the cup this season, despite our league situation. It has been a nice distraction for us and we might not get this chance again, so we have to try and take it."
While Rovers are undoubtedly the underdogs against Arsenal, Todd believes there is every chance they can cause an upset, particularly if former Gunner Paul Dickov, who started his career at Highbury but was never given a first-team chance, could return to haunt another of his old sides just as he did against Leicester in the last round when he scored the winner.
"His work rate is tremendous and he gives defenders such a hard time," added Todd, who recently signed a new three-year contract as a reward for some stunning performances.
"I wouldn't want to play against him in a match situation because I've come up against him often enough in training and he is an awkward customer.
"In the last round he played with a groin injury and yet he still gave his all, which just epitomises the type of character he is.
"He put himself out there and he went and did well for us."
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