Wembley’s Still A Dream For Eastbourne United boss Simon Rowland

EASTBOURNE UNITED manager Simon Rowland still reckons the closest he’ll get to Wembley is watching the FA Cup final on TV!

The Sussex County League Division Two side beat Ampthill Town 2-1 thanks to a Wes Tate double and now face Sholing. The Wessex League side wanted the first leg switched to the Sunday but Eastbourne rejected the idea with it being Mother’s Day.

The Step 6 side have been thrown into the limelight and were even guests of Championship club Brighton on Tuesday night as they beat QPR 2-0.

Manager Rowland and his squad were introduced to the crowd and posed with the FA Vase trophy and the boss said: “Brighton was a great experience for the lads. I’ve had a lot of downs in football so I’ve learned that when the good times come, you’ve got to enjoy them.

“Wembley has never been a reality for us. It’s a bit like buying a lottery ticket – you never really expect to win it. I still think the best chance I’ve got of seeing Wembley is on the TV!”

*This article first appeared in The NLP on Sunday, March 16