Ten omens that suggest 2008 could be the Baggies year for FA Cup glory.

The spirit of ‘31

Albion remain the only club ever to lift the FA Cup and clinch promotion to the top tier of English football in the same season and, with 14 games to go in the Championship and up to three rounds in the cup, a repeat is still possible.

In 1931 the Baggies finished second to Everton in Division Two and went up with the Toffees and third-placed Tottenham having already beaten 2-1 Birmingham at Wembley thanks to two goals from WG Richardson.

Lucky number ‘8’

When Albion do well in the cup the year often ends in the number eight. They lifted the cup in 1888 and 1968, reached the semi-finals in 1978 and the quarter-finals in 1958. In 2008 the way looks to be clearing for another historic run.

‘The King’ and ‘The Prince’

Albion fans have been busy all season drawing comparisons between Roman Bednar and the legendary Jeff Astle and they will be delighted if the parallels continue in the FA Cup.

In 1968 Astle scored in every round, bagging nine goals in total including the famous winner against Everton at Wembley.

Czech international Bednar has four so far having also scored at every stage – one against Charlton, one at Peterborough and two at Coventry on Saturday.

The Charlton factor

Back to 1931, when the Addicks played the same role as they did this season in Albion’s cup journey.

Both that season and this it was Charlton who Albion dumped out in the third round and both ties went to replays. There was even a 2-2 and a 1-1 then, as there was this year, albeit in reverse. In 2008 Albion won on penalties, in 1931 it took a 3-1 victory in a second replay at Villa Park.

Lucky on the road

Albion’s pleas for a home draw again amounted to nothing yesterday and they now know if they reach the final they will do it having played away from home in every round, albeit with at least one Hawthorns replay.

But they should not be deterred. The famous win in 1968 also saw them emerge from away matches at every stage.

The only time they were draw at home that year was in the fourth round and they had to win away at Southampton in a replay having drawn 1-1 at The Hawthorns.

Women lead the way

Albion’s ladies have shown their male counterparts the way by already booking their place in a cup final – and the goalscoring hero has a name not too dissimilar to first team talisman Kevin Phillips.

Hayley Phillipowsky bagged a hat-trick as Albion Ladies beat Villa 6-1 to reach the final of the County Cup, with Shamara Parkes scoring twice and Louise Fellows on target.

“We were determined to put things right after losing to Villa in the FA Cup and that gave us an extra edge,” said Albion boss Chris Holloway. “Everyone played their part and the final is something for us to really look forward to.”

Albion will now face Birmingham in the final at the Ray Hall Lane ground, Great Barr, on March 16. The kick-off time is to be confirmed.

Outsiders can succeed

Albion remain fifth favourites with bookmakers to lift the FA Cup but not all winners set out at short odds.

The winner of the 3.20 at Uttoxeter racecourse on Saturday came home at 14-1 – precisely the odds online bookies bet365 make Albion to win the cup. The name of the horse? Boing Boing. For the record, Manchester United and Chelsea are 11-8 joint favourites for the trophy.

They are ahead of Middlesbrough (8-1), Portsmouth (12-1), the Baggies (14-1), Cardiff (40-1), Sheffield United (66-1), Barnsley (80-1) and Bristol Rovers (100-1).

Cup pedigree

Okay, so both victories came north of the border, but both Roman Bednar and Craig Beattie already have winners’ medals in their collection.

Bednar played for Hearts when they beat Gretna on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the 2006 SFA Cup final at Hampden Park. And a year later Beattie was a second-half substitute in his final match for Celtic as the hoops beaten Dunfirmline 1-0.

A five-star omen

In addition to winning the cup five times, Albion have reached five more finals, the last of which was in 1935.

And back then they enjoyed something of a romp in the fifth round, beating Stockport 5-0 away.

Does that sound familiar to anyone who travelled to Coventry at the weekend?

It also means, of course, that the Baggies boast a proud 73-year unbeaten record in FA Cup finals.

Stats look good

Albion fans might not have the fondest memories of quarter-final opponents Bristol Rovers, having witnessed their side relegated to the third tier of English football for the first time in their history at Twerton Park in 1991.

But on the whole history is in Albion’s favour.

They have played Rovers eight times in all competitions – never in the FA Cup – and lost just once.

The last league or cup match between the clubs was in August 1993 when Albion secured a 4-0 aggregate League Cup victory. You have to go back to 1974 for the last time Rovers beat the Baggies.