Final words from Lennie ahead of final

Last updated : 25 May 2003 By Michael Morris

"The players know they are either going to be legends or chokers - at this place there is no in between."

"We all know the importance of the game. At the end of it all we'll either be famous as the team that took Cardiff City up at the Millennium Stadium or the team who failed on the day.

"It's harsh but that's the reality of life and we have to live with that. I think the league had it right first time around when there were two-legged finals but it's changed since then and football and television now require a one-off final.

"The other playoffs I have been involved in have been different games in different circumstances with less hype.

"It's a nice experience to go though because you can snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, but also defeat from the jaws of victory.

"If you get 10 minutes of madness it can wreck 48 games and we have to prepare with that in mind. In the final you hope you don't get that 10 minutes' madness.

"In the league games against Wigan and Crewe we had those 10 minutes and the opposition scored. In the semi-finals against Bristol we had no madness and it was totally professional."

"I just need to make sure their focus is complete and absolute and they are not side-tracked by the circus that surrounds the game."