IF Mark Hughes and his Blackburn players require any further incentive in their quest to reach the FA Cup final then they need spend only five minutes in the company of David Bentley and Matt Derbyshire this week.

When the Rovers squad reassembles at Brockhall following the break for internationals, Bentley and Derbyshire will, no doubt, find themselves the centre of attention following their reconnaissance mission to the new Wembley with England's Under 21s.

And what the pair report back will only serve to whet the appetites of their team-mates ahead of what is arguably the most eagerly awaited cup final since England beat the Germans in 1966.

The Brazilian genius, Pele, once described Wembley as the church of football' but he was selling it short: the new Wembley is not a church, it's a magnificent cathedral, which dominates the London skyline.

On Saturday, pilgrims from all four corners of England poured in to the capital to worship at the FA's new shrine to the football gods.

Geordies stood shoulder to shoulder with Cockneys, desperate to see what all the fuss was about, and they were not about to be disappointed.

It took seven years, and cost £757 million, to build the new Wembley, but the end result is simply stunning.

A splendidly modern stadium has arisen from the ruins of the old arena.

Long queues, poor views, uncomfortable seats, and fearful toilet facilities were all part of the matchday experience' at the old stadium, yet grown men still looked at the famous old twin towers through misty eyes because it was part of the nation's football heritage.

But time moves on, and the new Wembley is bigger, bolder and more refined than its illustrious predecessor.

It's a cross between the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff and Arsenal's impressive new Emirates Stadium, but on steroids.

Just like the towers were a feature of the old Wembley, the 315-metre arch that straddles the north stand gives the new stadium an iconic quality.

Once inside, the sheer scale of everything is mindblowing.

It feels bigger than the old Wembley, and yet more intimate.

The views are unrivalled, too, and every single one of the 90,000 seats has more leg room than distinguished guests used to enjoy in the old Royal Box.

It may have cost a fortune to build, and an age to construct, but the new home of English football is a truly awe-inspiring sight.