EX-SAINTS midfielder Rory Delap is set to put his 2003 FA Cup final misery behind him tomorrow.

Delap, who remains Saints’ most expensive ever signing at £4m a decade ago, was a key part of Gordon Strachan’s squad that made it to the Millennium Stadium eight years ago.

But he was cruelly sidelined in the days leading up to the showpiece match with Arsenal because of an ankle problem.

But the 34-year-old now has another shot at FA Cup final glory, this time with Stoke.

Assuming he can avoid any injuries in the next 24 hours, Delap should line-up at Wembley tomorrow against Manchester City.

It will help put to rest some bitter memories from 2003, which weren’t helped by Saints suffering a 1-0 defeat to the Gunners.

“You don’t get too many chances like that in your career, so to miss out on an FA Cup final in that way was very hard to take,” he said.

“I played a reserve match a few days before the FA Cup final to maintain my match fitness but picked up the ankle injury.

“What we’ve achieved here at Stoke over the past few years has made up for that disappointment.”

After more than 100 appearances for Saints, Delap left for Sunderland in January 2006.

A loan period at Stoke followed later that year, before the Potters eventually signed him in the summer of 2007.

Long-throw specialist Delap has made 171 appearances since moving to the Britannia Stadium, chipping in with six goals along the way.

Other former Saints Ricardo Fuller and Danny Higginbotham are both set to miss tomorrow’s final.

The Stoke duo have been sidelined with a ruptured Achilles and cruciate knee ligament injury respectively.