Chris Hughton does not have to delve back very far in the memory bank for the "horrible experience" of suffering an FA Cup upset.

Only just over a year in fact to an exit from the competition which serves as a reminder nothing can be taken for granted against League Two underdogs Coventry City at the Amex today.

Albion were on top of the Championship when they travelled to National League leaders Lincoln City in the fourth round.

The tie was going to script when Richie Towell (below left) put them ahead but they ended up losing 3-1 to be knocked out by non-League opposition for the first time in 19 years.

The Argus: Although Irishman Towell is on loan at Rotherham of the season, many of the players in the matchday squad at Sincil Bank are involved in Albion's quest to embellish the main goal of Premier League survival with a long Cup run.

Connor Goldson and Uwe Huenemeier were at the heart of the defence, as they will be against Coventry in the fifth round clash. Glenn Murray and Solly March were also in the starting line-up, others like Lewis Dunk on the bench.

Five days later a different team lost at Huddersfield and Albion then needed an injury-time equaliser at Brentford before getting their promotion campaign back on track.

So Hughton is conscious of the short-term damage that could be done by a shock outcome against the nothing-to-lose Sky Blues.

He said of the Lincoln humiliation: "It's certainly one that we will bring up. The majority of people would have been around.

"If they didn't play they would have been here and would have known the effect that game can have on the club at that particular moment.

"We all know that three or four days later you are onto other things and it can be swamped by everything else but it's a horrible experience. You don't want to go through that too often."

Bad FA Cup experiences on the CV are almost inevitable when you have been in the game as long as Hughton. Norwich were humbled at home by Luton in his first season as manager.

He also recalls as a player at Tottenham losing at Bradford but a more painful occasion with Spurs inevitably stands out, given the identity of today's opponents.

Hughton (below) was in the team that started as hot favourites for the 1987 FA Cup final at Wembley. They led twice but were beaten 3-2 by Coventry.

The Argus: "My season had been a little bit different," Hughton said. "I picked up an injury so I missed a chunk. Danny Thomas, who was the regular right-back at the start of the season, picked up a really bad injury that ended up finishing his career.

"It might have been the case I wouldn't have played. I would certainly have been in the frame.

"We were favourites going into the game. Not only that, Clive Allen scored very early in the game and most might have thought we would go on and win but we came up against a very spirited Coventry side.

"We had won the Cup on a few occasions before. For them it was massive occasion. When ever I am around anything to do with Coventry that's the one that is always brought back, that '87 Cup final.

"It was brilliant in their history for them but a really difficult one for us.

"I had been in the side that won the Cup in '81 and '82. The really hard one to take was for those playing in their first one. I'm not saying it meant less to me, I think I was more experienced to deal with the disappointment, particularly the manner.

"We had Ardiles, Clive Allen, Richard Gough, Gary Mabbutt, a lot of top players, a lot of international players. It was a real coup for Coventry.

"I know it's steeped very much in Coventry's history. I was at Cyrille Regis's funeral a few weeks ago and, of course, he played in that Cup final. All of the players that played were also in attendance and the manager (John Sillett). It was a great occasion in their history."

The Cup is nowhere near as prestigious now. Hughton will probably make ten changes, possibly 11, for Albion's bid to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since 1986.

There will still be a sense of anticipation if they are involved in this evening's draw.

Hughton said: "There is no doubt that it's changed. Back in the day you would have the league game on the Saturday and no changes for the Cup the following Saturday.

"Most clubs will use it differently but it gets more exciting the further you go.

"One way to sum up the delight of getting through is the draw. To have gone through and have to wait for that draw is still as exciting as ever."