JERMAIN DEFOE is determined to repeat his FA Cup final appearance from 2008 – but this time the Sunderland striker wants to be wearing a strip rather than a suit.

Defoe was part of the Portsmouth squad that beat Cardiff City to lift the FA Cup at Wembley six years ago, but because he was cup tied following his transfer from Tottenham the previous January, he was unable to feature in the game.

He travelled to the game on the team coach, paraded around the pitch with his team-mates after the final whistle, and even lifted the trophy above his head in front of the jubilant Pompey fans.

But as he prepares to line up against Fulham in this afternoon’s fourth-round tie at the Stadium of Light, the 32-year-old accepts he cannot really classify himself as an FA Cup winner.

He has appeared in the Champions League and UEFA Cup, and won more than 50 caps for his country, but having returned to English football following a brief spell in the MLS, he accepts a major domestic trophy is the main thing missing from his CV.

“I was cup tied when Portsmouth got to Wembley and I was gutted,” said Defoe, whose last FA Cup appearance was hardly a glaring success as it came in Tottenham’s 5-1 semi-final defeat to Chelsea at Wembley in April 2012. “It was really hard to be honest, but I still lifted the trophy!

“I was in my suit and I lifted it. That kind of thing makes you hungrier to do well, but it was really hard, you know.

“I was happy for the boys, happy for the team and I was a part of it, even though I didn’t play. The whole day was special - you want many more of those days. I look forward to this game and hopefully we can win and progress.”

Having spent the best part of a year in Canada with Toronto FC, Defoe has returned to England with a new perspective on football in this country.

He missed the passion and excitement that the Premier League generates while he was plying his trade in North America, as well as the traditions and heritage that play such a big part in the footballing fabric of his home country.

The FA Cup continues to be a prominent part of that fabric, having regained much of its lustre following a spell when its relevance and status were continually being questioned.

Speak to most players, and they will evoke their childhood memories of the competition to help explain why it continues to hold a cherished position in the schedule, and Defoe is in no doubt as to the importance of the FA Cup, even when posited against the overriding priority of Sunderland remaining in the Premier League this season.

“The FA Cup still excites me, very much so,” said Defoe. “I’ve always enjoyed playing FA Cup games - it’s a special competition, one of the best competitions in the world. I’ve always loved it, and when you’ve won, the first thing you do is come in and look at the other results to see who else has progressed.

“Everyone is looking forward to it. It’s been a long time for me since I’ve played in the FA Cup, so I’m really looking forward to it. It’s a big game, at home, but it’s important that we approach it like every other game.”

Today’s match will see Defoe line up against former Spurs and England team-mate Scott Parker, a player he continues to hold in the highest regard.

“He’s a special player, Scotty,” he said. “He’s old school – really professional, does everything right and that’s why he’s still playing.

“He’s a really good guy and, if you speak to anyone who has played with him, they all love him. He’s a proper captain, and he’s still a good player too who works hard for the team.

“I’m sure he enjoyed his time at Tottenham, and he was a key player for us. But hopefully I can shake his hand after the game and say, ‘Unlucky Scotty’.”

Defoe is expected to lead the line with Steven Fletcher as Gus Poyet continues with the new-look 3-5-2 formation he introduced at White Hart Lane.