Graeme Jones knows the task facing his Town team at Premier League Bournemouth is today is ‘huge’ but recalled his FA Cup-winning experience began with victory over the Cherries.
It was at the Vitality Stadium in a 2013 replay that, as an assistant manager, Wigan Athletic began their cup run which would end in a giant-killing final triumph against Manchester City.
Jones said: “When I was at Wigan we drew Bournemouth in the third round of the FA Cup. We drew 1-1 at home and had to go back to Bournemouth ten days later for a replay.
“A guy called Mauro Boselli, who we signed from Argentina, scored the only goal that night. We won 1-0 to start a cup run that ended with us actually winning the FA Cup in 2013, so in football, you never know.”
But for Luton’s trip to the south coast, that tables are turned, with the Hatters – currently propping up the Championship – as the underdogs against a Bournemouth side that have been in the top flight since 2016.
Asked about the scale of the challenge the Hatters boss said: “Huge. I watched the West Ham game and they played three different shapes in the game. Tactically Eddie (Howe) is switched on and it’ll be a big challenge.
“They are an established Premier League team. I know Jason (Tindall), the assistant. I know Simon Weatherstone, Tinnie, he’s my mate who is the first team coach there. I know what they’ve done at the club.
“The stadium can be a real up and at ’em kind of atmosphere. It really generates a good noise, so we are going to have to be competitive.
“We need to be ready for it because after their last result and our last result, you’ve got two teams who are desperate to win.”
Town are on a nine-game losing streak on the road, while defeat in the last two has mired them in a relegation struggle.
On whether the FA Cup is a welcome distraction, Jones said: “Yes, because obviously we want to win and we want to be competitive, but it gives me an opportunity to look at one or two players in a different light and I’m excited by that.”
