THE FLEET AT WEMBLEY: Angels of the south bid for Wembley glory - EXCLUSIVE

LIFTING THE FA Carlsberg Trophy on Saturday afternoon will be the “icing on the cake” on a good season for Ebbsfleet United, says skipper Paul McCarthy, writes Stephen McCartney.

The Fleet travel to Wembley Stadium today to get accustomed to the national stadium ahead of their day of destiny against Torquay United.

And McCarthy, who is “praying to god” that he’s selected by boss Liam Daish to lead out the side on the hallowed turf, is looking forward to KENT’S BIG DAY OUT.

A crowd of over 50,000 is expected at Wembley Stadium on Saturday to watch the Fleet’s Wembley debut and McCarthy believes his team-mates will rise to the occasion.

“It’s a big occasion, but I think once you’re on the pitch as a player you forget how many people are watching the game,” said McCarthy, speaking EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk last night.

“I’ve been lucky enough to play in front of some big crowds. It soon gets out of your mind how many people are there, whether it’s a thousand or fifty (thousand). You just try and concentrate on your game.”

Daish has been going through his game plan during training in the week leading up to the club’s biggest game.

“The gaffer’s just been working on a pattern of play and how he feels how we can beat Torquay United,” revealed the Irishman.

“The players are all focused. Listen, if you can’t get yourself up for a game at Wembley, there’s something wrong with you!

“Hopefully everyone doesn’t get overawed by it but we’re making a stop on the way after training (on Thursday) for the players to have a look around.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to go up there and I was really impressed with it so its’ important the lads see it and there not blown away by it on Saturday.”

McCarthy would be living the dream if he takes his troops up those 107 steps to lift the FA Carlsberg Trophy.

“It will be amazing for a club this size,” admitted McCarthy. “The club has progressed so quickly really. We’ve only been a full-time side for two years.

“We’ve just missed out on the play-off’s last year and we slipped away towards the end of this season.

“Too many games and depth of squad I suppose as well.

“Hopefully this Cup Final will give the manager more resources next year to strengthen the squad.”

Fans that attended last night’s youth play-off 4-2 defeat to Thatcham Town at Stonebridge Road last night had Wembley on their minds.

And McCarthy said: “Everyone you see in the area, Fleet Leisure, and you bump into people around the place, everybody seems to be going so by all accounts it will be a ghost town around here on Saturday.

“As players we want to go there and win because we don’t have the joy of getting to the pub at 11 o’clock in the morning and having a few beers on the coach on the way up there and having a good sing song and getting to the game and enjoying the atmosphere win, lose or draw.

“We’ve got to go and concentrate on a job and if we don’t do our jobs right we’ll be very disappointed.”

McCarthy, however, expects a backlash from opponents Torquay United, especially after losing to their local rivals Exeter City in the Blue Square Premier play-off’s last Monday.

The Devon outfit were looking to bounce back after their relegation from the Football League twelve months ago.

“They’ll be bitterly disappointed for their play-off defeat to Exeter on Monday,” said McCarthy.

“I thought Exeter deserved to get through over the two legs. I don’t think anyone who watched it will disagree with that.

“They’ve got some experienced boys and they’ll notice it’s their last game of the season (on Saturday) and they’ll want to bounce back with a victory - it’s all or nothing really for them.

“They had a chance of going there (Wembley Stadium) twice in a week, now they’ve got a chance to finish a very successful season for them.

“They got relegated last year, a new manager’s come in, brought new players in and they’ve gelled very quickly and been in the top two all season, slipped out of it last day of the season, which I’m sure they didn’t want Exeter in the play-off’s.

“They’d rather had met them at Wembley (for the play-off final) but they’ll be up for it and they’ll now throw everything at us because they’re a very good side.”

But the Fleet have already beaten the likes of Weymouth, Burton Albion and Aldershot Town en-route to the Arch and they’re well capable of beating favourites Torquay United.

“It would be great!” said McCarthy. “We’ve had a tough draw to get to the final. We haven’t had an easy draw.

“We’ve played other Conference sides, two of the best sides in the league, we’ve beat the champions (Aldershot Town) of our league, which was a fantastic achievement.

“But the quarter-finals, to go to Burton Albion get a result there and bring them back here and beat them was also very impressive.

“We deserve to be in the final. We’ve beaten some very strong sides but it doesn’t mean much if we don’t win the final so hopefully we can go and beat a very good side on Saturday.”

Club captain McCarthy still doesn’t know if he’s leading the side out at Wembley as Daish will delay picking the team until Friday or on the day of the game.

“I’ve no idea what the team is so I’m just praying to god now I’ll be playing,” he said.

“I’ve got to concentrate now and get my head down and keep working in training. Hopefully when the team’s picked, I’m in it.”

The Fleet are being backed by EVERYONE in the Garden of England to become the first Kent side to pick up the trophy - at the 38^th attempt.

“It would be the icing on the cake for the season because I think we’ve had a good season here,” said McCarthy.

“There’s been a lot of turmoil going on behind the scenes with the takeover, the name changes, which I know effects the supporters.

“It does play on the players’ minds as well. They can sense there’s been a bit of disharmony at times between the supporters and the club in general and it does effect the players in a way.

“We’ve got some young boys, they’ve had a lot to deal with as well. Hopefully we’ll come through with an reward at the end of it.”

So the excitement is building - the Fleet WILL bring home the FA Carlsberg Trophy.

McCarthy said: “All being well every one of our players will go and do themselves justice because you don’t want such a big occasion to feel that you’ve let people down, family, friends, supporters, management, team-mates.

“You want to try and do the best you can and if you get beat, devastated.

“If you get beat by a better side on the day, we’ll, there you go.

“I think it’s a game where defences have got to play very well because we’ll be going for it.

“We won’t sit back, play for a nil-nil. I know for sure they won’t, they’ll throw everything at us and it’s the team that stands up and be counted who will win.”

Fans can still purchase tickets (£25 adults/ £12.50 concessions) on the day of the game and those supporting the Fleet are asked by the club to wear any red shirt to show their support for the club.

Visit the following websites:

www.ebbsfleetunited.co.uk

www.wembleystadium.com

www.thefa.com

FA CARLSBERG TROPHY FINAL
EBBSFLEET UNITED v TORQUAY UNITED
SATURDAY 10 MAY 2008
KICK OFF 2:30PM
AT WEMBLEY STADIUM, WEMBLEY, MIDDLESEX HA9 0WS