ANYONE that supports, or reports on, Albion has to treasure moments like this.

They do not come along very often for clubs of their stature.

An FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.

They have only reached this stage of the most revered cup competition in world football once before, 36 years ago.

I was a teenager then, watching with friends in the Clock End at Highbury as they beat Sheffield Wednesday.

They were favourites on that sunlit afternoon at Arsenal’s former home, playing a team a division below them.

It led to the biggest single occasion in the club’s history, the final against Manchester United and the brink of a glorious triumph before defeat at the second attempt.

Times have changed. The Premier League has overtaken the FA Cup in the pecking order.

Staging the semi-finals, as well as the final, at Wembley has arguably been to the further detriment of the competition, but that is a conversation for another day. This day is one to savour.

In contrast to 1983, Albion are big underdogs against Manchester City, even though they are in the same division.

That may not be a bad thing. It is often the hope that kills.

Accidents happen anyway, especially in the FA Cup.

City were knocked out last year by Wigan, two leagues below them.

They were 2-0 down in the quarter-finals at Swansea, a league below them.

Albion found themselves in the same situation at Millwall, with minutes to go.

It is miraculous that they are here – all the more reason to make the most of it.

They have done it the hard way, away from home three times, once in extra-time, once on penalties.

Such drama is in their DNA, rarely a dull moment.

In more than 30 years with The Argus I have seen them play in four divisions at four home grounds in two counties.

Four promotions, two relegations, near-oblivion, five times in the play-offs.

Delight, despair, elation, consternation, have never been far away.

Regardless of the result against City, these are extraordinary times in the history of the club.

More fans than the 30,000 now watching them regularly at the Amex, against some of the biggest and richest clubs in the global game, will be at Wembley to cheer them on.

City are one of those elite clubs.

Because of that, thousands more neutrals will be on Albion’s side as well. As a nation we love an underdog.

It will be memorable, not painful, hopefully.

With Albion you can never tell.

That’s part of the fun and fascination.