THE LAST time Les Thompson featured in a final it was at Wembley, where he helped Burnley beat Stockport County in the 1994 play-offs to win promotion to the First Division.

Tomorrow, the former Clarets full-back will be in the Nelson side bidding to overturn a 2-0 first-leg deficit against Warrington Town to reach the final of the First North Western Trains League Second Division Trophy.

The contrast could hardly be more stark. But Thompson will still be giving it his all as Nelson try to keep alive their hopes of lifting the cup they last won three years ago.

"From a play-off final to a Division Two cup. But it's still something nice to go for, mainly for the young lads in the side who haven't experienced that. It's good for them," he said.

Thompson, whose League career also took him to Hull City and Maidstone United, signed for the Blues last summer after spending much of last season at Accrington Stanley. "I would have liked to have played higher but there were no offers and I got a call from John Bailey saying come down and have a look.

"I am not interested in playing anywhere else now. I have enjoyed myself. It's good crack with the lads and that's the main thing in non-league football," he added.

Still just 31, Thompson has helped the Blues to challenge on two fronts with promotion the number one target.

"That's what we're going for - the double. We'll have to wait and see," he said.

Whether the double is still on by tomorrow night depends on whether Nelson can make up for a disastrous trip to Warrington, which was dogged by traffic and injury problems and ended with that two-goal defeat.

"I am quietly confident," Thompson insisted.

"Their tails are going to be up and they will probably pack their defence. But with the lads we have got up front hopefully we will just bombard them in the first half-hour and hopefully get an early goal and they might stutter.

"Hopefully we will have a good crowd behind us. We attract a decent crowd because play good football."

Good football is something Thompson is also currently learning about from the coaching side.

He is planning to earn his UEFA 'B' licence in the next few weeks and hopes that may give him a route back into the full-time game.

Thompson, who currently works and coaches at the Hyndburn Leisure Centre, attends Manchester United's former training ground at The Cliff once a week to learn the ropes.

Former Burnley goalkeeper Chris Woods is among those on the course with him and with plenty of contacts being made, Thompson is keeping his fingers crossed.

"Hopefully something will come of it," he said.

More pressing, however, is tomorrow's cup-tie with Nelson player-manager John Bailey also optimistic that the Blues can pull it round.

"I am sincerely hoping so," he said.

"Last week it started badly and got worse. We had an interrupted preparation and had to go straight off the coach onto the pitch.

"And after only 10 seconds we lost our keeper when he was injured.

"We could have done without their second goal which was about the last kick of the game.

"But our home form this season is good and we have only once failed to score two goals or more."

Bailey, who will have Simon Burrows in goal in place of the injured Jim Davis but doesn't have Glen Little available, added: "The players are grateful to get a second chance and I'm sure they are looking to do the business.

"We really need an early goal and they could be in a catch-22 situation of whether to sit back or go for it. I am very, very hopeful."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.