"?Crystal Palace's Yohan Cabaye has admitted that the struggling mood at Newcastle United made him believe the club would never reach an FA Cup final.
The French midfielder hopes to pull the strings this Saturday as Palace face Manchester United in the famous Wembley battle, but the 30-year-old confessed that such an opportunity could never have arisen at his former club.
Next Match #FACup: Crystal Palace v #mufc | Wembley Stadium | Sabtu 21 Mei | Kick-off 23:30 WIB. #WeAreUnited pic.twitter.com/oCh8RRefuP
When asked if he thought Newcastle could ever reach the cup final, Cabaye answered: "To be honest, no.
"At Newcastle, the cup runs were very bad, and now I have the opportunity to play in a big game.
"The FA Cup semi-final (win over Watford) was fantastic, the atmosphere was very good and yeah, I am disappointed I didn't get that with Newcastle."
Cabaye proved to be a fan favourite at St. James' Park but returned to England's top flight with a move to Palace, where he teamed up with former Toon boss Alan Pardew following a disappointed spell with French champions PSG.
It is well documented that during his tenure at Newcastle, Pardew was discouraged from concentrating on developing a cup run which according to Cabaye, had a negative affect on those at the club.
Under Mike Ashley's ownership, The Magpies have failed to progress past the fourth round meaning they have never graced the hallowed turf of the new Wembley stadium.
At Palace, Pardew has been able to make the cup a priority which Cabaye believes has been evident in their journey to Saturday's final.
"All the players now know how important the cup is, to get a trophy. We have had a fantastic run, we have beaten four Premier League teams and now we are in the final. All the players are focused and determined to win."