IF Mick McCarthy is to lead Sunderland to the FA Cup final then he is going to have to break the hearts of the fans who once idolised him or smash one of the Black Cats' most hurtful cup hoodoos.

Either Millwall or Tranmere stand between Sunderland and their first FA Cup final appearance since they became the last lower league outfit to reach the showpiece in 1992.

Millwall's First Division status will see them start as favourites for next week's replay between the two sides and, should the Lions roar at Prenton Park, McCarthy will set off on an emotional journey down memory lane.

The Sunderland boss was coming towards the twilight of his playing career when he first walked down Cold Blow Lane in 1990.

The Yorkshireman had endured a brief and unsuccessful spell in France with Lyon before Millwall stepped in to offer him a London lifeline.

His forceful personality, both on and off the pitch, made him an instant hit with a set of fans not known for their appreciation of the finer points of the game.

McCarthy quickly became a terrace hero at The Den and, when former Middlesbrough boss Bruce Rioch was axed a year later, he was the obvious choice for the club's new player-manager.

His greatest success with the Londoners came when he steered them to third place in the First Division in 1994, only for his play-off dreams to quickly evaporate with a 2-0 aggregate defeat to Derby County.

The following season brought knockout glory with Millwall seeing off both Arsenal and Chelsea in the FA Cup before bowing out to rivals QPR.

Those victories saw McCarthy become one of the most sought-after managers in the game and, while he claimed to be happy at Millwall, there was little surprise when he agreed to take over from Jack Charlton as Republic of Ireland boss in 1996.

It is now eight years since the 44-year-old uprooted from south London, but a Millwall win next week would bring the memories flooding back.

"I've got nothing but good feelings for the club and the people there," said McCarthy before the two clubs met this season.

Two League defeats for the Black Cats may have soured those re-unions somewhat but, if it is to be a case of third time lucky for Sunderland, he will not be afforded the same warm welcome that he received at the New Den two months ago.

It might not come to that if Tranmere upset the odds at Prenton Park and fly the Second Division flag in the semi-finals.

Sunderland will be out to prevent a third defeat if they meet Millwall, but they will be desperate to avoid an equally unwelcome treble should they line up against Tranmere on April 4.

The Black Cats had never met Merseyside's third club in the FA Cup until 1998 but, since then, two meetings have ended in identical 1-0 reverses for the Wearsiders.

The first came in the 1997-98 season when Sunderland, looking for their first win at Prenton Park in six attempts, saw Andy Parkinson put an end to their 17-game unbeaten run.

That was bad enough, but things got even worse when the two sides were drawn together in the third round of the 1999-2000 competition.

Wayne Allison scored the only goal of the game in the 25th minute, but Tranmere's win was mired in controversy as a refereeing mix-up meant they finished the game with 11 men on the pitch, despite Clint Hill being dismissed in stoppage time.

The two clubs have not met since and, after coming this far, a third 1-0 reverse would be a heart-breaking way for Sunderland to crash out of the competition.

"We can't get wrapped up in all that historical nonsense," said McCarthy after yesterday's draw. "I prefer to look forward."

That is as maybe but, after Bob Stokoe's untimely death at the start of February, the shadow of history has been looming large over Sunderland's cup campaign.

It will be cast again whoever the Black Cats face in the last four next month, whether McCarthy likes it or not.

The only question is whether it will be Sunderland who come out of the game bathed in sunlight.