“Our second home” Wembley Stadium will host a David vs Goliath clash in this years FA.Trophy Final.
Cambridge United who are riding high in the Conference Premier (2nd in fact) will play against Gosport Borough who reside in twentieth place of the Conference South.
Alex Pike, manager of The Borough is a lively character to say the least, one of his quotes sums him up perfectly … “ “I heard someone remark that I thought I was the José Mourinho of non-league football, but I’ve been doing it long before him.”
Five years ago Gosport’s league visit to Hayes attracted a crowd of just 27.
The second leg of this year’s semi-final derby against Havant & Waterlooville brought 2,901 to the quaintly named Privett Park.
On paper the match is a forgone conclusion but as we all know the game is on grass & the unexpected can happen in a Wembley Final.
(cue the DW East Stand chant “We know who we are, we know who we are, FA Cup winners we know who we are.”)
CUFC are hoping that the Wembley experience will help them in the event of a Wemmbley play-off final after heartache in 2008 & 2009.
Their chairman David Doggett said “Let’s go and enjoy it, If we have to go to the play-offs we will have been there once this season and it won’t be new to the players.”
In these cash strapped times, especially in non-league football, both clubs are set to enjoy a cash windfall from the day, with £16,000 of prize money handed to the two semi-final winners and £25,000 given to the Wembley losers and £50,000 for the victors.
Add to that the gate receipts, with the U’s and Borough expecting to take more than 20,000 supporters between them.
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