Jonathan Williams has warned Serbia that Wales are a different team to the one they humiliated four years ago.
Williams was on the bench as Wales disintegrated 6-1 in Novi Sad during the early days of Chris Coleman's tenure in September 2012.
A year later, Serbia punished Wales again by winning their 2014 World Cup qualifying return in Cardiff 3-0.
The teams are set to meet again on Saturday on the road to the 2018 World Cup, but much has changed with Wales fresh from reaching the semi-finals of Euro 2016.
"That 6-1 defeat is a long way behind us now, we've come so far as a team," Williams said.
"We haven't spoken about that game in this campaign.
"It was early days under the gaffer and we were just getting used to his tactics.
"It's hard when a new manager comes in, but what we've achieved since then is amazing.
"We can look back on that and say we've done something special.
"We're strong as a unit now and hopefully we can show that on Saturday."
The Novi Sad nightmare was the nadir of Welsh football on the pitch in recent times as a side including Gareth Bale, Aaron Ramsey and Joe Allen were swept away in brutal fashion.
At the time Coleman was clinging to his job and qualifying for a first major finals since the 1958 World Cup seemed no more than a pipe dream.
"It was a blur - it felt as if we had 10 kicks-offs!" Williams said.
"It was emotional, a shock to us all. There was some big players there who have done fantastic things for Wales.
"We don't like losing, let alone 6-1 to a team we're now looking to beat."
Wales' form over the last two years put them among the top seeds when the 2018 World Cup qualifying draw was made.
But they trail Group D leaders Serbia by two points after last month's draws against Austria and Georgia.
"We've got to be realistic as a team, it was never going to be a walk in the park," Williams said.
"We're top seeds for the group but that doesn't mean we're going to finish top.
"We'd like to be, of course, but it's not as easy as that.
"They're top of the group at the moment and they're going to be right up there during the campaign.
"But we need to win our home games and bounce back after the Georgia draw."
Williams has yet to start a game this season after picking up a nasty pre-season injury while playing for Crystal Palace.
But the on-loan Ipswich forward has come off the bench in recent weeks and is desperate to shed his injury-prone tag.
"I want to kick on now," said Williams, who started Wales' Euro 2016 opener against Slovakia in Bordeaux.
"I wouldn't say I am injury-prone, I'm more prone to bad tackles.
"When I get the ball I like to be direct and that makes me prone to challenges and bad tackles, but I have to deal with that."
Source: PA
