Pat Nevin believes that reaching Sunday's Papa John's Trophy Final at Wembley is a "fantastic achievement" for Tranmere Rovers - and provides an opportunity to test themselves against Sky Bet League One opposition in Sunderland.
Keith Hill's men will visit the home of English football for the fourth time in as many years to take on Lee Johnson's Black Cats, having won on their last two trips to the National Stadium which earned them back-to-back promotions in 2018 and 2019.
Nevin spent five-years at Prenton Park between 1992-1997 after signing from Everton, making over 200 appearances.
But three times he missed out on a trip to Wembley at the final hurdle, helping the Whites to three successive Division One play-off finishes but losing in the semi-finals each time.
Tranmere have already overcome Peterborough United and Oxford United in the knockout stages, and Nevin is optimistic about their chances. He views the occasion as an opportunity to see what they can do against a side from the division they are aiming to be in next season.
"Just being there and getting there and having a day like that to celebrate, it is a fantastic achievement, and it is a real positive, it's just a shame that the fans can't be there," Nevin, 57, told the ECHO.
"It's a really good opportunity to find out where you are, and where you are actually sitting if you are to go up, and if you would survive at that level, and there is no fear, and Keith can be pretty confident that they can do well on Sunday.
"If you're a player and you're playing a team who you think are miles above you, it's not a case of no chance. It's a brilliant place to play football, it's a huge pitch, you can go and express yourself and if you're playing in your own good form and fairly decent streak, you can just go out and enjoy it.
"They have got plenty of players in the team who are capable of doing that, and there's goals in the team as well so there's loads and loads of positives.
Nevin feels that a Rovers win would "lift everyone" and he has urged Hill's men to have no regrets come the full-time whistle.
He continued: "The biggest thing is in the midst of it, win, lose or draw, you want the team to do themselves justice, to have a good day and to play well and if you play your best and it doesn't happen, then you walk away with the biggest disappointment.
"But I've played at Wembley many times and I lost the FA Cup Final against Liverpool for Everton, and I was gutted afterwards but I felt we played great that day, we went to extra-time and lost 3-2, it was a toss of a coin and one team would get the winner and sometimes it happens, so the players need to make sure that they don't have any regrets, do the best they can and play well.
"Everyone will savour it, the fans, it's the people at the club now and former players, and there's a lot of people around Merseyside, Liverpool and Everton fans who have a soft spot for Tranmere and people would love for Rovers to win a cup and it would lift absolutely everyone so it should be savoured but you would want the cherry on the top.
"It doesn't matter what you win at Wembley, if you win something at Wembley, you go up those steps, you collect the cup and you bring it back down again, that feeling just never goes away and you will always remember it.
© Stu Forster/Getty ImagesPat Nevin nows works as a pundit and specialises in tactical analysis.
"A cup win at Wembley is certainly something that the players, the team and the fans will always want."
Nevin hopes to see Rovers achieve some glory this weekend as a reward for the supporters who will not be in attendance due to Government restrictions.
A virtual match ticket initiative was introduced for fans to purchase, with funds going to TRIC (Tranmere Rovers in the Community) who have played a key role in supporting residents through the COVID-19 pandemic.
He added: "I've been fortunate enough to talk to Mark (Palios) quite a few times and his love for the club is obvious. He's taking things really steady and it's an absolute passion for him and for all the work that he and everyone around the club has put in. It's a family club and it's a massive part of the community, and the work that has been done by the Tranmere community has proved that anyway.
"You've seen that with the virtual tickets which the fans have bought, it's a massive part of the area and there's not many clubs like that.
"Tranmere's a real football club and you want them clubs to get some glory, and this is a real chance."