THE clock is ticking all too slowly down to our first major Cup Final in 42 years.

Worries about our League position will be firmly put aside until Monday morning by which time all supporters will, hopefully, be waking up extremely hungover having celebrated a famous victory.

The club has racked up three League Championships and six FA Cup victories in its long and illustrious history.

Hopefully, we can take our major trophy haul into double figures and complete a clean sweep of the domestic trophies simultaneously.

In keeping with this mood of unbridled optimism I am going to restrict myself to a few passing observations on the Boro game.

Firstly, I hope that match will prove to be the lowest point of the season.

Secondly, we picked up another five bookings, three for dissent.

While we need absolute commitment on the pitch we also require a corresponding amount of discipline.

Finally, while Souey was understandably frustrated with the incorrect decision to dismiss Lucas Neill, does his constant berating of referees do either himself or the team any favours in the long run?

Anyway, back to the Final.

Having never ventured further into Wales than Wrexham to watch us in the old 1970's Third Division days I shall be poring over the road atlas this week to try and discover where Cardiff actually is.

The whole occasion should prove a wonderful experience both for those making a weekend of it and those travelling on the day.

I'm sure everyone will be fine ambassadors for the town of Blackburn and, of course, playing a Final at Cardiff could well be unique should plans for the new Wembley ever get off the ground.

While I'm sure the fans will cover themselves in glory, this is also the chance for the team to redeem their stock and make instant heroes of themselves.

Coming as it did in less affluent times, victory at Wembley in the 1987 Full Members' Cup felt like winning the League Title, FA Cup and today's National Lottery rolled into one.

The winner from 21-year-old Colin Hendry is permanently etched in Rovers folklore and the memory of every fan old enough to be present.

Similar immortality awaits the scorer of the winning goal on Sunday.

While we have a number of enforced absences due to suspension it is usually the case with cup finals that the spoils go to the side who rise to the occasion better on the day.

This is the ideal situation for every single one of the players to go out, show what they are made of, and prove they have the quality and bottle for the big occasion.

Even more importantly for the crucial League programme ahead.

Blackburn expects etc.

There's one final and over-riding reason why nothing less than victory will suffice on Sunday. As Kenny Dalglish rightly never stopped reminding us, we're only where we are today thanks to one man.

So whatever else we do on Sunday "LET'S WIN IT FOR JACK!"