Crystal Palace vs Watford preview: Alan Pardew to use video of himself as motivation for players

Palace manager scored an extra-time winner in the 1990 FA Cup semi-final

Pardew celebrates in front of Palace fans after scoring in the 1990 FA Cup semi-final (Getty)

Alan Pardew will use a video of his greatest moment as a player to act as a motivational tool for his Crystal Palace players to follow in his FA Cup footsteps.

Pardew, by his own admission, was a modest professional during his career. He is best remembered for scoring an extra-time winner in the famous 4-3 FA Cup semi-final win over Liverpool at Villa Park in 1990.

That scrambled strike ensured the Palace manager wrote himself into Eagles folklore by firing the south Londoners into their first and only ever showpiece final.

Now Pardew hopes to carve out new memories as a manager against Watford on Sunday.

"It's nice to share a few memories with them," he said. "We might use one or two clips from back then as a psychological tool for the guys. We will certainly use something motivational for the team.

"We have some ideas on a couple of little funnies we might break in there, and a couple of little things that might embarrass one or two staff members.

"Really and truly, you want to get your team in the right place. If it's a light hearted moment or something serious, it's about getting the guys in the right place for the game.

Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew (Getty)

"Scoring the winner impacted my profile and personality massively, particularly with the Palace fans. It gave me that bond with them and the club and I'm proud to take them back.

"It's the players and not my day. But it's a chance for my players to do what I did briefly and that's becoming a hero.

"Hopefully we can deliver like we did in 1990."

Palace have never won a major trophy in their long history after Manchester United, thanks to a replay, finally killed off their cup dream.

But Pardew knows knows the impact of ending that drought would have at Selhurst Park.

"That semi-final grew the club on the back of the crowds doubling in 1990 and we managed to keep those fans," he said. "We must grab those fans now by grabbing a win and taking them to the the final - then we have them for life.

"Our new owners, for them, it will be an eye opener to the potential this football club has. We'll have 32,500 fans there, and we could have had more. It will be good for them to see that we could be a bigger club.

"To get to a cup final would be extra special. It's been one of our aims all along and we have a real chance of achieving it. I think the players understand the importance of where we are now."

Watford sit two points and four palaces ahead of Palace in the Premier League table.

Both teams have suffered a dip in form in 2016 but it's Pardew's side who head to Wembley as favourites.

"It is going to be a game of tight margins," added Pardew. "When we're in full flow we have the edge on them, I think. This is a big occasion and calls for big personalities and big players to stand up and be counted."

Crystal Palace: Hennessey, Ward, Dann, Delaney, Souare, Cabaye, Jedinak, Zaha, Puncheon, Bolasie, Adebayor