Bornemouth are egging on Liverpool to progress

By J Wade
January 14 2005

Bournemouth chairman Peter Phillips is hopeful that Liverpool will progress to the 4th round of the FA Cup beating Burnley to get there.

Bournemouth are through to the 4th round and have been drawn against whoever wins out of Liverpool or Burnley at Turf Moor. The Cherries chairman speaks for everyone at Dean Court when he says he is desperste for the Reds to progress.

"At the moment, it's the big `if'," he said. "The frustrating thing is Liverpool have to get past Burnley first so we can't go producing the T-shirts just yet!
 
"But of course the chance to play Liverpool is going to generate huge excitement. It is very close to being a perfect draw. Financially, a trip to Anfield would be a huge boost to the club and it would be marvellous for the town and the players who would have a chance to pit their wits against the very best in the Premiership.
 
"Given the choice, we'd obviously like Liverpool and I'm sure Steve Cotterill would understand that. But Burnley would be a very interesting game too and put us in with a chance of progressing."
 
Bournemouth striker Steve Fletcher is hopeful that Liverpool  will progress so he can live out his boy hood dream of playing the team he loved so much.

"It won't surprise anyone to hear I will be cheering on Liverpool to get through the Burnley game and I'm sure the whole of Bournemouth will be too," he said.
 
"Obviously, Burnley will have other ideas but no disrespect to them, Liverpool would be a dream tie for a club like ours with the revenue it would bring in.
 
"The FA Cup was a massive competition for me when I was growing up in the 80s and it's lost none of it's magic in my eyes.
 
"From a personal point of view, the draw has been kind to me. I've just come up against Ian Rush and now have the chance to play against the team I supported as a boy. In 13 years here, it's the first time I have had the chance of a huge draw.
 
"If we could go to Anfield with a big pitch and players who don't look to kick you all over the park, it is possible we could cause one hell of an upset, especially when you look at what happened at the weekend.
 
"Everyone was really happy with the draw but it's not cut and dried yet and there will be a lot of interest in the Burnley-Liverpool match now, that's for sure."