If Saturday’s match between Portsmouth and West Bromwich Albion was a typical FA Cup semi-final – scrappy, tedious and more about the result than the performance – no one associated with the winners cared and Sylvain Distin, the Portsmouth central defender, hit out at those who suggested that the absence from the last four of bigger names meant a lack of quality and “watchability”.

“If the final was between Chelsea and Liverpool, no one would say anything about the football,” he said. “Everyone here enjoyed it. We enjoyed it. I don’t see what the problem is with these teams in it. Maybe we should play the FA Cup until the top four are out and then stop it, or start with the semi-finals with the top four.

“I think it is good for everyone that teams like Portsmouth are in the semi-final. It is a breath of fresh air. It’s a club no one expected to be there. I think it’s great. Those are the rules of the FA Cup. The best one on the day goes through to the next round. Why is it a problem that the top four are not in it? Let’s not play it, then.”

Alexandre Gaydamak, the Portsmouth owner, had targeted a Wembley visit after attending the venue as a guest of Roman Abramovich, the Chelsea owner. “He sent me a text from the League Cup final,” Harry Redknapp, the manager, said. “I thought it was a punter. It said ‘My dream is to go to Wembley for a cup final, can you take your team to Wembley?” and I thought, ‘F*** me, someone else wants a ticket.’ So I read it again and it was Sacha [Gaydamak]. ‘Can you get us to Wembley?’ and I thought, ‘Hold on, we’ve got Manchester United away in the next round – no problem.’ ” Portsmouth’s winning goal on Saturday was as untidy as the rest of the game and Milan Baros, the Portsmouth forward, admitted to handling in the build-up. “I haven’t seen the replay yet, but I think it touched my hand,” he said. “But it wasn’t a blatant handball.” However, Kanu, the scorer, was delighted that a series of predictions had come true.

“Everyone was coming to me, even the kitman, telling me I was going to score,” the Nigeria striker said. “I believed in it. I didn’t know how it was going to come and the way it came was a lucky one, but I will take it. I won it [the FA Cup] twice at Arsenal. It would be nice to get a hat-trick, especially at a team like Portsmouth where nobody gave us a chance to win it.”

He also had praise for West Brom, a former club, and hopes that they win promotion to the Barclays Premier League. “Yes, I am always praying for them,” he said. “When I was there I had a really happy time and I wish them all the best.”

Albion also lost the Coca-Cola Championship play-offs final at Wembley last season and could return this season for a second try, although they believe that they can gain automatic promotion.

“Our second appearance here and our second loss – it’s not great, is it?” Jonathan Greening, the midfield player, said. “I’m proud of the way we played. We passed and moved and they couldn’t get near us at times, but now it’s Blackpool [away tomorrow]. That’s a massive game for us. Hopefully we will get a few points and a few goals to push us up the league, but I don’t mind coming back here for a third time, as long as we win.”

Cardiff City are confident that they will be allowed to play in Europe next season if they win the FA Cup. The FA will meet Uefa to discuss the issue this week. The Welsh club enter the FA Cup on the understanding that they cannot represent England in Europe. It was thought that it would be unlikely that the FA would put Cardiff forward as one of England’s representatives for the Uefa Cup because the Coca-Cola Championship club come under the jurisdiction of the FA of Wales. But the FA is reconsidering its position and Cardiff’s case has been backed by Michel Platini, the Uefa president.“It is a political minefield,” Dave Jones, the Cardiff City manager, said. “No one will stop us.”

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