‘When John Went Up to Lift the FA Cup, I WAS THERE, I WAS THERE’

By: Andy | May 20th, 2007

Did’s sublime FA Cup Winner

In the week leading up to yesterday’s final I had this feeling of excitement like a kid at Christmas in knowing that I was going to be in a crowd of extremely lucky people to witness the first FA Cup Final at the ‘New’ Wembley.

For me the result was immaterial. It was the occasion, the pomp, the ceremony and being able to say ‘I WAS THERE.’ I will never know what my feelings would be had Chelsea lost. It was only when Dids goal went in that I truly believed that Chelsea would lift the FA Cup AGAIN!!!

Lots of people during the week had asked me my prediction - even travelling to Wembley yesterday I was convinced the game would go down to the wire and go to penalties.

Thanks to the ‘Drog’ - it didn’t!!!

Prior to the kick-off in yesterday’s FA Cup Final at the ‘New’ Wembley, Chelsea had acheived a wonderful and successful season. After a tense two hours of football and a sublime Didier Drogba goal five minutes from the end of extra time, Chelsea’s wonderful season had turned into a FANTASTIC one.

Alright Man Utd have got the Premiership title, but Chelsea completed the ‘domestic cup double,’ which brings Jose trophy haul in three years to six - 2 PREMIERSHIP TITLES, 2 CARLING CUPS, 1 FA CUP and 1 COMMUNITY SHIELD!!!

As well as winning the trophies, Chelsea became the first winners of the FA Cup at the ‘New’ Wembley, seven years after winning the last FA Cup in 2000 at the ‘Old’ Wembley. A unique piece of history. Yesterday’s success was the fourth time that Chelsea has lifted the FA Cup (1970, 1997, 2000, 2007) and now that ‘horrible’ day in 1994 can be firmly laid to rest.

The stadium itself is absolutely wonderful. Getting inside was easy, there are escalators to take you to your seat level. The seats themselves had more leg-room than most aircraft and the atmosphere generated by Chelsea fans was brilliant. Exiting the stadium was quick and easy, by means of a combination of stairs and walkways straight out, back onto Wembley Way.

It does take a while to get back into the station, but once there you are away from the area as soon as you can get on one of the many trains, servicing Wembley Park station.

I was back home inside two hours which can be the same time it takes me to get home from Stamford Bridge.