Blackburn Rovers finished runners-up in The FA Youth Cup in 2012 but have since failed to make it beyond the third round.
And Under-18 academy boss Billy Barr is desperate to stop the rot this weekend when they welcome Southend United to Ewood Park.
The Shrimpers have seen off Barton Rovers and Newport County to make the third round, but will start as big underdogs against a Rovers side that have impressed in the league this season – beating Manchester United earlier this month.
Blackburn Rovers v Southend United
The FA Youth Cup
Third Round Proper
1pm, Saturday 19 December 2015
Ewood Park, Blackburn
By Charlie Talbot-Smith
But Barr – who until this season was the U16 team coach before moving up an age group – is adamant his side will not be underestimating their opponents.
"Hopefully we can do something about that record," he said.
"It would be nice to go far, but we have got to take it one game at a time, especially in The Cup, you cannot afford to look too far ahead.
"The season has gone well so far, we have had some really good performances and positive results against sides like Liverpool and Man City.
"This is a young bunch – 13 of the players are first years and we have tried to make sure everyone has had some game time.
"The players see this Cup as a big tournament and a big chance. We get to play on the first-team pitch, which some of our lads have never done.
"But we need to be calm and composed, there is no use in getting fired up – it needs to be like another game.
"We had them watched in the last round and we’ve got a few DVDs, we will be showing them plenty of respect – the same as we do to every team we face."
And Southend academy boss Ricky Duncan insists his side will not be heading north to Lancashire just to make up the numbers.
"We always have to do it the hard way, the third round is always our target so it’s great to have got there," he said.
"The lads knew before we went to Newport that if we won we would be playing Blackburn so there was something to aim for.
"And, while it took extra time, we deserved to win that game and now we have a chance to go to a big side – that is a great reward.
"We have been up and watched them a couple of times so we have done our homework, we are not going there to make up the numbers – we want to have a go.
"If you speak to any academy they will tell you what a great competition this is, you just want the chance to play big games at big grounds. This is the closest some of them will get to the top flight and it will be a big chance for them to develop."
