By Stuart Roach BBC Sport Online

Saturday's fourth round FA Cup tie between Southampton and Millwall is a match made in heaven.

Certainly as far as managers Gordon Strachan and Mark McGhee are concerned.

The old pals go head-to-head for a place in the last 16 and, whatever the result, Strachan and McGhee will raise a glass to the good old days afterwards.

Possible topics of conversation? A young Alex Ferguson, their playing days together at Aberdeen and McGhee's wedding day in 1980 - when Strachan took on best man duties.

"Since the draw was made, I desperately wanted to get past Cambridge in the third round," admitted McGhee, who won the Uefa Cup Winners' Cup with Strachan under the watchful eye of manager Ferguson in 1983.

Strachan has turned Saints' fortunes around

"Myself and Gordon have remained friends since our days at Aberdeen and we speak to each other and see each other occasionally.

"Our wives are still friends, our children know each other and Gordon was best man at my wedding 23 years ago, so we go back a long way.

"From that point of view it adds a nice flavour to the game."

Strachan is enjoying something of a honeymoon period at Saints.

Having steered them clear of relegation trouble following his arrival last season, he has launched a serious chase for a European spot in his first full term in charge.

It's no surprise to me that Gordon has done so well Mark McGhee

The plaudits have been thrown like confetti, but McGhee is out to spoil the party.

He said: "We will certainly have a drink together after the game but we are both professionals and we both want to win the game.

"One of us is probably going to be disappointed, unless it ends up a draw and even then I think Gordon would be disappointed.

"But we will deal with that after the game."

Southampton's outstanding form this season, which includes a 4-0 FA Cup thrashing of Tottenham in the third round, has surprised many pundits.

But McGhee is not among them.

McGhee is relishing the clash with his old friend

"It's no surprise to me that he has done so well there.

"I always felt that it was a bigger risk to Gordon than it was to Southampton when he moved there.

"Southampton were a team who were struggling when he went there and they had potential to go down.

"He kept them up and they have gone on from strength to strength.

"But I saw the work he was doing at Coventry prior to losing the likes of Robbie Keane.

"He was building a team that looked every bit as good as the team he has at Southampton now.

"So it is no surprise to me that, given the time and opportunities, he has produced a winning and exciting team."

Southampton are a smashing team but we think we have got a chance Mark McGhee

After a slow start to the season, McGhee is beginning to do the same with Millwall.

"We have some young players who are starting to emerge. We introduced them at the start of the season when really they weren't quite ready but they are now starting to mature and that has deepened my squad

"Southampton are a smashing team but we think we have got a chance.

"We have to be very concentrated and have to play as well as we are able to play.

"If we do then we could give Southampton problems. If we don't and Southampton play reasonably well, then they could have a good afternoon."

Clearly a potential case of 'may the best man win'.