Cardiff City manager Malky Mackay has insisted that he is not worried about his side's poor recent record in playoffs ahead of Thursday's semi-final first leg against West Ham United.
The Bluebirds reached the playoff final two years ago, only to be pipped to the post by Blackpool, before being knocked out by Reading at the semi-final stage last season.
However, Mackay believes that the past won't play a part in their progress this year.
"That's in the past, you have to take the individual games on their own merit. Last year losing Craig Bellamy against Reading didn't help and against Blackpool the year before they lost a striker who had got a lot of goals for them just 10 minutes in - Jay Bothroyd, and Charlie Adam had one of those days where he put the ball in the top corner from 30 yards," said Mackay.
"That's the kind of thing you need to go for you to win a final. But as far as we're concerned this is a group that has got to a Carling Cup final and taken a club like Liverpool all the way to penalties.
"That shows there's a strength in character here to enable us to handle a two-legged semi-final. Each of us have been better away from home so it will be interesting."
Cardiff finished the season in sixth place with 75 points, while West Ham finished third, amassing 86 points.
Barney Corkhill
