Kevin Phillips knows how it feels to come within touching distance of FA Cup glory and a big day out in a Wembley showpiece. The Sunderland legend helped the Black Cats to the last 16 of the competition twice during his goal-laden stay at the Stadium of Light - but it was with West Bromwich Albion where his real heartbreak lay.
The former England striker had been on form as he helped the Baggies reach the semi-finals for the first time in 26 years when he scored in a 5-1 quarter-final win over Bristol Rovers in March 2008. A 1-0 semi-final defeat against eventual winners Portsmouth ended any thoughts of a Wembley date in the May sun and marked a heartbreaking high point of Phillips experience as a player in the greatest domestic cup competition in the world.
But now, with his playing days firmly in his past and a fledging managerial career under way, the Black Cats icon is preparing for a new FA Cup experience. Thoughts of the famous Wembley arch will be far from his mind when Phillips makes his managerial debut in the competition when his South Shields side host Northern Premier League West club Workington in a first qualifying round tie on Saturday.
