Ben Foster discovered on Saturday that every cloud has a silver lining after he was told that he would be at the FA Cup Final next month, even though his team had just lost in the semi-finals.

The Watford goalkeeper, who is on loan at Vicarage Road from Manchester United until the end of the season, was blocked from playing against his parent club, but he was in the stands at Villa Park trying to work out who to support.

After watching United beat Watford 4-1, Foster was making his way to the Watford dressing-room to commiserate with his teammates when he bumped into Tony Coton, the United goalkeeping coach. “I spoke to Tony after the game and he said that he wanted me to go along as part of the squad,” Foster said. “I’m not going to be involved, but he wants me to taste what it’s like to be in a cup final.

“I will be suited and booted — I am getting a Cup Final suit and I’ll be in the dressing-room. I’ll try and get involved in some of the pictures at the end as much as I can.”

Sir Alex Ferguson signed Foster from Stoke City for £1 million in July 2005, but the goalkeeper was sent to Watford three weeks later to gain experience. At Vicarage Road, Foster has established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the Barclays Premiership and made his England debut in the 1-0 defeat by Spain at Old Trafford in February.

Ferguson has told Foster that he will be returning to Old Trafford when his loan expires on June 30 and the United manager expects the 24-year-old to challenge Edwin van der Sar for the No 1 spot next season.

“Sir Alex has told me that there will be no more loans,” Foster said. “He said that I will probably be the England No 1 by the start of next season. I have just bought a house in Manchester and although it will be a wrench to leave Watford, United are probably the best side in Europe at the moment.”