Pompey an example for Ridgewell

Birmingham match-winner Liam Ridgewell has insisted Portsmouth are the example to follow after they were handed an FA Cup quarter-final trip to Fratton Park.

Blues will head to the Premier League strugglers next month, after their 2-1 comeback victory at Derby on Saturday was sealed by Ridgewell's last-gasp strike.

The 25-year-old defender reckons Pompey's FA Cup success two years ago should act as an inspiration for clubs outside the big four, and admits the possibility of facing his old club and arch-rivals Villa at Wembley has also crossed his mind.

Ridgewell said: "A lot of people have said that and it would be fantastic for the city to have that or even a semi-final.

"Villa have got to the League Cup final and it shows that teams outside the top four can get to finals. Portsmouth, Cardiff and Millwall have done it in the FA Cup and we have to believe we can as well."

Centre-half Scott Dann, who headed Blues' equaliser at Pride Park, is hoping reaching the last eight can erase a painful memory from last season.

The former Walsall man, who turned 23 yesterday, was part of the Coventry City side that was thumped by Chelsea.

He said: "We played Chelsea and they were too strong for us but I'm playing for a better team now and it's great to get back there.

"In the first 10 minutes I got caught on the ball and they ended up scoring from it, so it showed me you can't take no chances and you have to be concentrating for the whole game."

Portsmouth's 2008 success came at the expense of a Cardiff side that featured Dann's central defensive partner Roger Johnson.

The 23-year-old said: "We've heard all about that from Roger. Unfortunately they didn't win, but hopefully we can get there again and put it right for him.

"I don't think we played anywhere near the standards we've set, but the FA Cup is all about getting through to the next round."

Blues will now have to reschedule their Premier League trip to Blackburn Rovers, which had been due to take place on March 6.