North End chairman Derek Shaw believes a win in the FA Cup over Middlesbrough on Sunday would go a long way to ensuring the club's academy dream becomes a reality.

The club has finally managed to get past council planners and get permission for a dome-like structure which would house training facilities at Springfields.

The dream is to get academy status, which would attract more potential stars of the future to the club.

And with North End now 24 games unbeaten and Middlesbrough struggling in the Premiership despite last Saturday's 3-0 victory over Chelsea, Shaw believes North End have a great chance of making the quarter-finals.

He said: "A good result on Sunday would almost certainly guarantee us a televised game in the next round and go some way towards making that academy dream a reality." While many fans have been thinking about the Middlesbrough game for over a week now - news of their surprise win against Chelsea came through at Deepdale before most fans had left Saturday's match - boss Billy Davies has had his players focusing on tonight's match at Southampton.

He said: "We are very confident at the moment but we take things one game at a time.

"For us, it a good cup draw. It is a chance to show how far we have come and from a financial point of view it is good news."

Off the field, North End midfield youngster Joe Anysinah has joined Bury on a month's loan while contract talks have opened with David Nugent, back among the goals at the weekend.

Davies said: "It's what he deserves and hopefully something can be agreed soon. It's a nice reward for him."

And PNE are adamant that assistant boss David Kelly isn't up for grabs, despite being linked to Walsall.