ASHLEY Hoskin has been there, done it and lapped up the occasion.

And the former Accrington Stanley winger has urged John Coleman's side to enjoy their FA Cup second round weekend in Bournemouth, whatever happens.

Hoskin was in the Reds' side which suffered a 6-1 FA Cup defeat at the hands of Dario Gradi's young Crewe Alexandra side at Ewood Park in 1992.

He was also involved the last time Stanley got to the second round of the competition against Scunthorpe United, when the game was switched to his former stamping ground, Turf Moor.

"We weren't expected to do anything against Crewe but it was a fantastic day," Hoskin said.

"We'd stayed at a hotel in Chorley the night before and I remember getting to the ground in a coach and seeing lots of fans with flags and scarves along the streets.

"Even if we had won 6-1 I don't think we could have celebrated more because it was just so fantastic to be involved in at game.

"But it was closer than it appeared. We had a couple of chances in the first 20-25 minutes but we didn't take them.

"It could have been a different story if we had, but then Crewe went to the other end and made it 2-0."

The Accrington-born 35-year-old, who now coaches at Burnley's Centre of Excellence and Youth in the Community programme, added: "I don't think we would have done anything differently though because it was just a fantastic occasion for the club and the town.

"For myself and the likes of Chris Grimshaw, who lived in the town, to represent Stanley in the second round of the FA Cup was great."

Hoskin, who still keeps in contact with officials at Stanley and lives within a stone's throw of the ground, added that he was delighted that chairman Eric Whalley's ambitions for the club were coming to fruition.

"When he came to Stanley he had a plan," he said.

"It took longer then he thought but, at the end of the day, he's got them where he wanted to."