Saints boss Gordon Strachan will send his potential FA Cup history-makers into action tomorrow with the simple message: "Go out and win it - and enjoy it later."

Saints will end their 27-year wait for a place in the final of the most glamorous knockout club tournament in the world if they beat First Division underdogs Watford at Villa Park (4.30pm).

Strachan's side stand on the precipice of football glory with a showpiece final in Cardiff against Arsenal or Sheffield United on May 17 awaiting the winners.

A new generation of Saints fans have grown up since the 1976 Wembley win over Manchester United, and they have never known the joy of reaching a major cup final.

They might know it tomorrow.

Strachan revealed his pre-match team talk will be fairly simple.

"What can I say to them? 'Relax lads, take it easy, take yoga classes?' What can I say?" he asked.

"They are good enough lads to get on with it.

"'Go out and win it' is my one. You can enjoy going to the cinema or you can enjoy a night out or you can enjoy a meal, but you'll only enjoy this if we win. That's when the enjoyment comes.

"It's unusual to play a game of football and think 'I'm loving this.' It's got to be won."

If Saints win tomorrow, they will be virtually guaranteed a UEFA Cup place next season providing Arsenal also triumph at Old Trafford.

But the Saints boss feels that his players will not be distracted by the thought of the club's first jaunt into Europe for almost 20 years.

"I don't think the chance of Europe will make us more motivated," he said. "After the first semi-final result we're not going to be trying harder than we already were.

"There shouldn't be anything to make you play any harder than winning the game.

Watford will be the fourth Division One side Saints have faced in the FA Cup this season and Strachan said: "It's a harder pressure playing teams you're expected to beat, but we've proved three times this season that we can do it.

"We have shown we can handle it and prepare for these games.

"We are doing nothing different at all. It's the same as a league game and we don't need to change at all.

"Over the last two years I've been happy with what I've seen on the football field, the system we play and the way we go out to win games.

"It may spook the guys if we start to do things a bit differently.

He added: "Watford are in the semi-final so they are going to give it everything and I wouldn't expect anything else.

"It is a chance to make history but it is also our chance to make history."

'Why the FA Cup semi-final will not be my most pressured club game as a manager' - full Gordon Strachan interview in tonight's semi-final souvenir special Pink.