Crazy…we’ll be in quarter-final draw

SUTTON chairman Bruce Elliott says the last six weeks have been the craziest in his lifetime with the little Surrey club.

The Vanarama National League side’s dream tie with Arsenal on Monday has had FA Cup romantics purring.

But since Sutton beat local rivals AFC Wimbledon six weeks ago and then turfed out Leeds, Elliott, who has been involved at the club as supporter and official for 50 years, has not stopped.

“What am I going to do on Tuesday? A holiday sounds quite an attractive proposition – but then we could be planning for the quarter-final, couldn’t we?

“We will know the draw because it is on Sunday, which is quite frightening in itself – we will be in the draw for the quarter-finals. And my dream draw? Old Trafford. I’ve always had a soft spot for United.

“But let’s not get carried away. We have to keep our feet on the ground.”

Elliott, who was carting benches around the ground as part of the supporters’ club committee when then champions Leeds United visited in the FA Cup in 1970, said: “I have never known anything like this in all my time here. But it has been great fun, whatever happens on Monday.

“It has been hard work. I’m not sure everyone appreciates how many hours our volunteers have put in. We have had three full houses. It has been a huge task.

“As a club we only have three full-time employees. The rest is run by volunteers.”

Arsene Wenger and his Arsenal team had their on-field trials and tribulations in Munich this week but they will certainly be well looked after in suburban Surrey. On the menu for the Gunners directors, Sir Chips Keswick et al, is a carvery. Roast chicken, beef or lamb, with all the trimmings.

Elliott said: “Arsenal are a huge club and we are honoured they are coming here. One club in our league texted us: ‘Good luck, well done, you lucky gits!’ I thought that summed it up quite nicely.”