Randolph is desperate to exorcise his cup demons
WEST HAM goalkeeper Darren Randolph can only remember one good cup run in his career — and even that is one he would rather erase from his memory.
His former club Motherwell reached the 2011 Scottish Cup but were thrashed 3-0 by Celtic.
With a last-16 FA Cup tie at bottom-half Championship side Blackburn Rovers today, the hope is to establish a better memory of knock-out football for the Hammers’ cup keeper.
‘I just want to have a good cup run,’ the Ireland international said. ‘I’ve never been involved in a team that’s had a good cup run and this season, of all seasons, it would be nice to have a good run.
‘There was the Scottish Cup final and we lost 3-0. We lost so it just stayed there. I don’t need to watch that back again. I have a little soft spot for Celtic but it didn’t hurt any less.
‘It will be a great way to leave the Boleyn Ground with some silverware, we’ve got a great chance. We’ve put out a strong team every round. We’ve got a strong squad. Hopefully we’ll be able to get through.’
Manager Slaven Bilic will not tolerate any complacency at Ewood Park, with West Ham two steps from a Wembley semi-final.
Randolph said: ‘Blackburn will be up for the game, they’re going to want to get an upset.
‘They’re going to raise their game. The last thing we should do is underestimate them.
‘We’ve been to some tough places and been in bad positions, being a goal or two down and ended up coming back. So we have the faith and the belief that we have the team spirit and the togetherness to put in a solid away performance.’