Wolves' Conor Coady recalls his run to FA Cup semi-finals

It may not have been in old gold, but the 25-year-old has played in a semi-final at Wembley.

And he was an important part of that Sheffield United side which got so far in the competition in the 2013/14 season.

Coady played all eight games, starting seven, of the run which ended with a 5-3 defeat to Hull City, who ended up losing 3-2 to Arsenal in the final.

As a youngster on loan with the Blades from Liverpool, it was a thoroughly enjoyable time.

With Wolves gearing up for Sunday’s fifth-round tie at Bristol City as well, it is something Coady would like to experience again.

When asked if there is anything he can pass on to his team-mates from that success, he said: “Enjoy it and make it count. It’s as simple as that.

“You’ve got to make it count, go into every game looking to win it.

“It’s such a brilliant competition and we want to go as far as possible.”

And on if that run makes him the player who has had the best experience of the Cup in the Wolves squad, Coady joked: “I think I might have done because a lot of players haven’t played in it!”

Coady, though, insists a lot of the squad’s lack of familiarity with the competition is not at all a problem.

He says Wolves’ foreign contingent do not need telling how prestigious it is.

“We’ve spoken about it before. We did in the last round as well,” said Coady.

“But they know about the competition.

“Everybody knows about England and the Premier League and the FA Cup.

“You don’t have to pull them to one side and tell them. You only have to look at the tradition of the FA Cup and what it brings.

“I’m lucky to have got to the semi-finals myself and that year was incredible.

“It’s important we treat it right.”

In his time with Wolves, Coady has enjoyed two wins over his beloved Liverpool – one at Anfield in 2017, and one at Molineux last month which began this run.

Wolves needed a replay to get past League One Shrewsbury in the previous round.

Matt Doherty got a last-gasp leveller in the initial tie, and they edged the replay 3-2.

But Coady does not think the nature of that eventual victory means a fruitful foray is in their destiny.

“It’s tough to look at it like that,” he added.

“You always dream of doing well in the Cup.

“If anyone tells you differently, they’re lying.

“But we don’t look at it like that. We deserved to get through against Shrewsbury, no matter how we did it.”