FA CUP: Peterborough United have been warned to forget Chelsea tie and concentrate on beating Notts County

Peterborough United have been drawn away to Premier League leaders Chelsea in the third round of the FA Cup, if they beat Notts County in a second round replay at the ABAX Stadium next Tuesday (December 13, 7,45pm).
Action from Chelsea 5, Posh 0 in a 2001 FA Cup tie. Gianfranco Zola and Richard Forsyth are the players involved.Action from Chelsea 5, Posh 0 in a 2001 FA Cup tie. Gianfranco Zola and Richard Forsyth are the players involved.
Action from Chelsea 5, Posh 0 in a 2001 FA Cup tie. Gianfranco Zola and Richard Forsyth are the players involved.

If Posh do beat the struggling League Two side, they wil make a third trip to Stamford Bridge in the FA Cup.

Posh lost 5-0 at Chelsea in the third round of the Cup in January 2001 and 5-1 in a quarter-final tie in 1965. That’s the only time Posh have reached the last eight of the greatest knockout competition of them all.

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Current director of football Barry Fry was the manager when Posh played at Stamford Bridge in 2001, but he has warned Grant McCann’s squad not to get ahead of themselves.

Chelsea's Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Gareth Jelleyman of Posh during the 2001 FA Cup tie between Chelsea and Posh.Chelsea's Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Gareth Jelleyman of Posh during the 2001 FA Cup tie between Chelsea and Posh.
Chelsea's Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Gareth Jelleyman of Posh during the 2001 FA Cup tie between Chelsea and Posh.

“It’s a great incentive for us to win our replay, but it’s also a great incentive for Notts County,” Fry said. “It’s a terrific draw for both clubs, but I doubt Grant will let any of our players get ahead of themselves.

“It was a dream draw for us in 2001 as we were struggling for money. We beat Oldham in a replay away from home to secure the game at Stamford Bridge, mainly on the back of a brilliant display by goalkeeper Mark Tyler who played them on his own.

“We had a great day at Stamford Bridge. They had great players like Gianfranco Zola and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in their side and they beat us easily, but the whole Chelsea club treated us superbly.

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“Chairman Ken Bates was brilliant. He paid us our slice of the gate money on the Monday after the game as he knew we were struggling rather than wait the normal 10 days.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink scores Chelsea's fifth goal in a 2001 FA Cup tie against Posh at Stamford Bridge.Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink scores Chelsea's fifth goal in a 2001 FA Cup tie against Posh at Stamford Bridge.
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink scores Chelsea's fifth goal in a 2001 FA Cup tie against Posh at Stamford Bridge.

“Zola was different class as well. He came in our dressing room after the game and gave Adam Drury his shirt as he’d played so well.

“It would be great to go back, but we will have to earn that right as Notts County played very well yesterday. We were hanging on for dear life in the second-half.”

Posh led 2-0 at Meadow Lane yesterday, but were pegged back by a 92nd-minute equaliser after striker Lee Angol had been sent off just before half-time.”

The 32 third-round ties will be played across the weekend of 6-9 January 2017.

Full draw: (to follow).