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BACK AT TURF MOOR: Stephen Foster returns to Burnley with Barnsley after helping the Tykes to Wembley

EX-CLARET Stephen Foster has admitted he would sacrifice precious points at Turf Moor tomorrow to earn a place in the FA Cup final.

The defender has played a significant role in steering Barnsley on the road to Wembley, but while cup fever is strong at the Yorkshire club, the threat of relegation still looms large.

However, Foster revealed that given an either-or option, he would accept defeat to Burnley if, in return, it meant a semi-final win over league rivals Cardiff - and Championship safety further down the line.

"Ideally I'd like to win both games, but if I had to choose, to get to the FA Cup final would be absolutely unbeliveable. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity, and we'd still have six games with which to secure our safety," he said.

"It's going to be extremely difficult tomorrow, but at the same time it's a chance for us to go into the semi-final a week later full of confidence.

"All the fans are ecstatic. It's been fantastic for the town but, then again, everyone's looking at the league table knowing it's very tight at the bottom."

But Foster is hoping the FA Cup euphoria can contribute to a happy ending to a season which the 27-year-old could never have anticipated just seven months ago.

The former Crewe stopper was embarking on a second season with the Clarets when Barnsley enquired about his services just before the transfer window closed at the end of August. Struggling to establish himself in the first team frame, and with the club standing to make £100,000 from his sale, it seemed a natural transition for Foster to cross the Pennines.

"All you want to do as a footballer is play, and that was the situation I found myself in. I wasn't playing as much as I would have liked and that was my reason for leaving," he said.

"Since then this season has been great for me because I've been clocking up games.

"In terms of the team it started really well and we were in the play-off places, but we had a wobble over Christmas and haven't seemed to recover. But then obviously there's been the FA Cup run, which has been incredible.

"I don't think I would have believed anyone at the start of the season if they'd said I'd be in the semi-final," continued the Mansfield born full back, who has scored equalisers against Blackpool in the third round and Liverpool, at Anfield, in the fifth.

"They were important goals in the FA Cup, and it was quite an emotional moment at Anfield for me.

"It was an important goal to get us back into the game and keep our hopes alive, and then we went on to get the winner in the last minute, which was amazing.

"I was delighted to have the experience of just playing there in the first place, but to score, at the Kop End as well, was something special.

"We rode our luck a little bit at times, as you would expect at Anfield. But the Chelsea game was a little bit different because we passed the ball a bit better and managed to create a few chances."

He added: "It will be a fantastic occasion at Wembley and one we're all looking forward to, but it's vital we stay in this division.

"Just the thought of relegation can keep anyone going. We're fully aware that we're only two points off relegation.

"But we've got to take confidence from our cup run as well and know that on our day we can beat some very good teams."

However, he knows the Tykes are in for a tough assignment at his old stomping ground, particularly with Burnley desperate to recover from back-to-back defeats and attempt to claw back a four-point gap from the play-offs.

"It's still very tight with just a few points separating a host of clubs, and Burnley have still got a realistic chance of getting into the play-offs," he said.

"There's just a few points difference at the bottom end as well but hopefully we'll be able to steer clear of the third relegation place.

"We've got four home games left and three away.

"Our home form's been decent over the season, although we were disappointed to lose the derby to Sheffield United last weekend.

"We're looking to come back with three points tomorrow because we need them."

4:15pm Friday 28th March 2008

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