Midfielder Darren Ambrose, is not only predicting Crystal Palace can beat Barclays Premier League side Aston Villa in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Sunday, but reckons the south London club could go all the way to Wembley. Ambrose said: "We're not afraid of anyone, especially at Selhurst Park.

"It is going to be a difficult place for them to come. Hopefully we can put on another good performance, get to the quarter-finals and who knows what can happen then.

"If they have an off day and we have a good day, then just three more good results and we can win the cup."

That is the ambitious plan but then 25-year-old Ambrose is not unused to dealing with footballing adversity.

He was sold by administrators at Ipswich to Newcastle for £1million in 2003, and endured two relegations at Charlton, ending up in League One.

So when his wife texted him last month as the team landed at Newcastle airport with the news that the administrators had moved in once more, he took it in his stride.

"Yeah, it was a hell of a plane journey to go up there to Newcastle in seventh place and come back in 21st," admitted Ambrose.

"But we've stuck together as a team. I just want to play for this club and do as well as we can. We were on a fantastic run, three defeats in 20-odd games.

"But we've still got things to play for. People see us in a relegation scrap but that's not the way we look at it. A few more wins and we are in the top half."