Bolam rallies fans ahead of Town’s historic FA Vase semi-final clash
H ebb u r n To w n m a n a ge r Kevin Bolam has called on the club’s supporters to roar his side to a historic appearance at Wembley this weekend.
The Hornets will be backed by 150 supporters when they make the long trip to Kent to face Southern Counties East League Premier Division side Corinthian FC in the semi-final of the FA Vase.
Saturday’s game marks a new high point for Hebburn as they compete in the last four of a competition synonymous with Northern League success for the first time in their history.
Their hopes of walking out at Wembley later this month looked to have been dashed by the coronavirus epidemic – but the Football Association delivered on their promise to do everything within their power to play last season’s competition to a close.
That means that Bolam’s men will make the 587-mile round trip with one eye on w r i t i n g th e i r n a m e s i nto the history books and giving their travelling band of support something to celebrate on Saturday night.
Ahead of the trip, Bolam told The Echo: “It’s brilliant to see the supporters making such a long journey with us and I think we could have probably trebled the tickets that we sold.
“T h e re i s a go o d bu z z around the place at the moment and we have to build on that throughout the season because it’s going to be a tough one.
“We now have the reality of a massive game ahead of us, but with that comes a massive opportunity to do something very special.
“We aren’t shouting from th e ro o f to p s , n oth i n g h a s been achieved yet, far from it, we have a job to do.
“We can’t think of what is beyond this tie and this tie alone."
The winners of the eagerly anticipated tie will meet either Western League club Bitton or Hebburn’s Northern League Division One rivals Consett in the final.
The Steelmen are boosted by the news that striker Dale Pearson has recovered from a hamstring injury that threatened his involvement in the tie.
T h at n ew s m ea n s th at manager Terry Mitchell has a full squad available as he looks to help Consett secure a maiden visit to Wembley.
Should both North East sides progress, they would set up the first all-Northern League Vase Final since Dunston UTS’ 2-0 win against West Auckland Town in 2012.