ROSS IN THE FRAME AGAIN
Worner ready to mount another memorable run
ROSS WORNER spends his working days framing shirts and caps for England stars including Mason Mount and Declan Rice.
But tomorrow the Havant & Waterlooville goalkeeper will be attempting to put his own FA Cup exploits in the spotlight once again.
Worner, who was one of non- League Sutton United’s stars when they reached the fifth round three years ago, is on the glory trail again as his National League South side face Marine of the Northern Premier League Division One West.
The prize for one of them is a place in the third round – and the prospect of a clash against the Premier League elite. That means Worner could come up against one of the stars whose memorabilia he takes such care with while framing it. The former Charlton stopper said:
“The business is going really well.
“We’ve done all of Mason Mount’s kits, his England debut shirt, all his shirts since he got his first loan move.
“The same for Declan Rice, his shirts and boots. It would be weird if we got through and drew either of them.
“Mason’s dad Tony Mount used to manage Havant back in the day.
“I have always liked making stuff. We frame everything, guitars as well – we’ve got one signed by Johnny Cash and June Carter.”
That FA Cup run of Sutton’s in 2017 has gone down in footballing folklore.
The National League side beat Dartford, Cheltenham, local rivals AFC Wimbledon and then Leeds.
The were only halted by Arsene Wenger bringing his multi- million pound Arsenal side to homely Gander Green Lane and winning 2- 0.
Paul Doswell, the manager at the heart of that Sutton run, is now in charge of Havant.
Worner said: “I was expecting to get absolutely pummelled, but we didn’t. We had a good defence.
“They brought Alexis Sanchez on in the second half. After 10 minutes the back four were looking at each other and laughing. He was that good.
“The things he was doing were ridiculous. We didn’t know what to do – so we just started laughing.
“Seeing Wenger there was one of the highlights of my career.”
The only sour note for Sutton from that day was reserve goalkeeper Wayne Shaw infamously being fined and banned for breaching FA betting rules for eating a pie during the game after a bookmaker had offered odds.
Worner said: “It annoys me. That’s the first thing people ask me about – ‘ Didn’t your mate eat the pie?’. Not how well we played.”
This time round it is Marine on Merseyside tomorrow – and Worner said: “It’ll be difficult. The rewards for either could be tremendous.”