Do not mention the magic of the FA Cup within earshot of Andy Ritchie.

Or Jimmy Melia, the manager when Albion danced their way to the Wembley final against Manchester United in 1983.

The quarter-final between two of his former clubs at Old Trafford on Saturday evening is a reminder of what might have been for the unluckiest player in FA Cup history.

Ritchie suffered so many near-misses, including with Albion. He was top scorer in the top flight under Mike Bailey the season before the 1983 final when they finished 13th, the club's highest-ever placing.

He featured in the quarter-final win against Norwich at the Goldstone but made his last appearance just a week later, in a 1-1 draw with United at Old Trafford.

Ritchie said: "I got on great with Mike and I did with Jimmy (below) as well when he was chief scout. When he became manager everything seemed to go a bit tits-up. I just didn't know what had changed.

The Argus: "He never really had me in the office to explain why I wasn't playing.

"I'd lost count of the number of times The Argus rang me up on a Friday night and said 'How do you feel about not playing tomorrow?'

"I said 'That's news to me, because I hadn't been told'.

"Things like that were going on, which I wasn't happy with. I made that clear to the manager."

The end came swiftly and unexpectedly, with a move back north for Mancunian Ritchie to Leeds in a swap deal involving Terry Connor.

He saw Albion's high-flying arrival at Wembley and 2-2 draw in the first game against United on TV - and wondered what might have been.

"I watched it with the helicopter and all that," Ritchie said. "It was a first and one and only, never done since, because of the B Cal (British Caledonian) sponsorship. I thought 'I wouldn't have minded being a part of that'.

"I really did have divided loyalties. Manchester United were my first club. It was very interesting to watch, with Gordon at the end and 'Smith Must Score'.

"When I saw all the pomp and circumstance I thought I wouldn't have minded being involved. It was a great spectacle, a little bit circus-like.

"Yes, I would have loved to have been there playing in an FA Cup final, because I never got to one.

"It was more poignant when I'd not got there with all the other clubs. You think maybe I would have been playing that day, but you just don't know and I've not got any regrets about my football career and my life. You can't have that really, can you?"

Striker Ritchie made over 650 league appearances, scoring more than 200 goals, in a 22-year playing career with five clubs before a decade in management at Oldham, Barnsley (below) and Huddersfield.

The Argus: He is the forgotten figure of another famous FA Cup final, when Alan Sunderland snatched the trophy for Arsenal against United in 1979.

Ritchie said: "I'd played in virtually every game, even came on in the replay of the semi-final at Everton and then was named 13th man at Wembley.

"Brian Greenhoff was made sub and he wasn't fully fit. We lost the game as well (3-2).

"Then I moved over to Brighton and missed out on another final, because of the situation with the manager.

"Then I moved to Leeds and got to the semi-final and we were knocked out by Coventry.

"When I moved to Oldham I thought that might be my chance and we got beat in two semi-finals as well - by Manchester United!"

Ritchie, 57, will be at Old Trafford on Saturday in his capacity as a lounge host and summariser for MUTV and Radio Manchester.

"My loyalties are at United now," he said. "If it was anybody else I'd be wanting Brighton to get through.

"It will be a tough game, because Brighton have got some really good players and Chris (Hughton) is doing a really good job with them.

"They were fantastic in the league game (1-0 to United). I wasn't expecting them to play as well as they did. They put in a sterling performance and I don't expect it to be any different.

"But it's home advantage and United are really good at home. If it had been down at the Falmer stadium it might be a different thing."

Albion or United will be guaranteed the pleasure which always eluded Ritchie - an FA Cup trip to Wembley.