The Aussie will become one of a short, but prestigious list of Aussies to feature in the English showpiece final if Brighton can overcome free-scoring City in tomorrow morning's final.

The Seagulls have endured a tough season, currently sitting 15th in the league despite continued glimpses of success under Chris Houghton since their promotion - but their FA Cup run promises to form an enduring memory for the seaside club.

A memory that, Ryan says, is why he plays the game.

“I play the game to create as many memories as I can – and the bigger the challenge the better the memory," Ryan told the Irish Mirror.

"To be 2-0 down at Millwall with three minutes to play just makes us even more determined to get through against City.

"Whenever you play a big team like City it is a bit of a free hit. They are obviously a great team with a lot of great players. The pressure and expectation will be on them to win.

“But quite often in sport the underdog can make a game of it, as we found out at Millwall and City discovered at Swansea [in the quarter-finals]. We’ll be doing everything we can to try to make a game of it and give ourselves the best possible chance of beating them."

While Brighton are low-liers, Ryan's had another solid showing in the English top flight - one of very few Aussies to have a successful season in a top European league this year and especially important given Aaron Mooy's relegation with Huddersfield Town.

He's kept five cleansheets in 26 appearances, making 74 saves and conceding 41 goals. He's also hit 274 accurate long balls, affirming his place among the world's best goal-kickers.

“We are not shying away from the fact we are facing a tough task. But this is an opportunity for us to do something special," Ryan continued.

“I will be proud to represent Brighton at Wembley when you consider where the club have come from the past few years and the struggles they have had.

"To reach the semi-finals is something we can all be proud of.

“We know what this means to the club, the fans and the city. It’s a special moment. And if we can follow the 1983 team (Brighton made the FA Cup final in '83, but lost in a replay to City's arch-rivals, Manchester United) by reaching the final everyone connected with Brighton will cherish the moment.”