Goalkeeper Colin Doyle has admitted that past experience against play-off opponents Blackpool gives Birmingham City confidence going into Friday's first leg.

And Doyle said Blues had to relish the prospect of reaching the final at Wembley.

Blues drew a pulsating encounter in the Championship at Bloomfield Road in November. Both sides missed glorious chances and Nikola Zigic equalised with three minutes left moments after fluffing a sitter.

At St Andrew’s in December, Blues won 3-0 and the Seasiders had ex-Blues favourite Barry Ferguson sent off.

“They’re a good side, it’s going to be tough,” said the goalkeeper. “They’ve got some fantastic players. Kev Phillips and Barry Ferguson were both here last year so we know them very well.

“But if you look at what we did at their place, we drew 2-2 and were unlucky not to win it, Ziggy missed a blatant sitter at the back post, and I remember their ’keeper (Matt Gilks) also made a brilliant save from yards out.

“At our place we won 3-0 and their ’keeper was probably man-of-the-match.

“So that does give us confidence and hopefully we can repeat that and get to Wembley.”

“It’s going to be tough but the lads have got to go in with no fear and relish it really,” Doyle added.

“It’s 60 games we’ve played now, which is a lot, but it’s not really affected us. Hopefully we’ll have three more.”

Doyle was given a surprise award at the club’s annual dinner on Monday at the ICC to commemorate ten years’ service at the club.

He came over to Blues from Cork in Ireland on trial as a 16-year-old.

He didn’t expect to be Blues’ last line of defence in the play-offs, but Boaz Myhill’s thumb injury, sustained in the warm-up before the Bristol City match four games ago, has presented him with this opportunity.

He said: “After the Chelsea FA Cup replay I probably thought my season was finished.