Pompey will play a major part in the battle to stay in the Premier League given that they play host to fourth-bottom Fulham at Fratton Park.

Reading travel to Derby and Birmingham take on Blackburn in the other matches which will decide the two remaining relegation places.

The stress facing Roy Hodgson, Steve Coppell and Alex McLeish is familiar to Redknapp, who hauled Portsmouth clear of the drop zone on the final day two years ago.

Redknapp said: "Sure, there's some pressure on us playing in a cup final but not that real kind which Fulham manager Roy Hodgson will have sitting on the bench at our place - or what Stevie Coppell and Alex McLeish will be going through.

"Having experienced it myself a couple of years ago I wouldn't wish that on anybody."

The south coast club's form has suffered ahead of next Saturday's big match with Cardiff at Wembley, with some observers suggesting after a run of three league defeats that the focus has already well and truly turned to the final.

Defender Hermann Hreidarsson freely admits it is the most crucial game he has played in.

Asked for the next biggest match of his career, the powerful Iceland international, 33, said: "It has to be the semi-final - you know, last month."

Hreidarsson is more accustomed to fighting relegation battles - four of them ending in disaster with Crystal Palace, Wimbledon, Ipswich and Charlton.

Like many of his team-mates it will be easily the biggest game of his life.

Portsmouth start hot favourites to lift the famous old trophy for the first time in 69 years.

But big-name players will be few and far between on the Wembley turf when the two teams meet in one of the most unlikely FA Cup finals in recent times.

There are some big earners and a few big names.

Cardiff will have ageing Dutch master Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in attack and perhaps ex-England ace Robbie Fowler on the bench if he recovers from injury.

Pompey boast David James and Sol Campbell, who have played at Wembley on many occasions, and Kanu and Pedro Mendes, both European Cup winners.

It is a new experience for the rest, including Hreidarsson, who worked on a North Sea trawler and in a frozen fish factory in the early days of his football career.

For Redknapp, also facing his first final in 26 years of management, joy at steering Portsmouth to Wembley is almost matched by the fact that, for a change, not one of the Premier League's top-four aristocrats can carry off the major prize.

He said: "One of the big four have won it for the last 12 years but now we've got a great chance.

"And although we've got all the respect in the world for Cardiff, the fact is we've got a better chance than if we were playing Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal or Liverpool.

"I think people get fed up watching those four winning everything every year. Hopefully they'll see something a bit different this time. Last year's final (Manchester United v Chelsea) was dull, certainly not a classic.

"Fans of those clubs must get a bit blas about it all. They can't help it but it has become boring for the rest. So it's nice to see fans of the other clubs going to Wembley - especially ours.

"We had a tough game against West Brom in the semi-final and so there's no way we'll be complacent against a Championship side like Cardiff.

"It would be fantastic, though, for Portsmouth ti get our hands on this trophy but, in all honesty, it's mostly for the fans who will never forget it - long afte missing a cup final. For some it's the greatest opportunity of their lives."