Cockfosters captain Jay Lovell is set to lead his team out at Wembley in the FA Vase final against AFC Stoneham.
Lovell, an escalator engineer, had plans to be at Wembley this weekend in a different capacity. He works for a company responsible for the escalators at the stadium and is usually required on site during events.
From Engineer to Player at Wembley
Lovell remembers being on site for last year’s final and thinking his chances of playing at Wembley were slim. He thought getting to Wembley was like “winning the lottery”.
“It is fairly emotional for me because I’ve worked it, I’ve been there and I’ve walked around Wembley,” Lovell said. “It’s always been what-if, and now the what-if has come true. It still hasn’t sunk in that I’ll be there on 17 May playing.”
His employers are supportive of his footballing ambitions. “One of my bosses actually turned around and said: ‘Having a two-hour break to go and play football, are you?’ He’s had a good bit of banter with me about it.”
FA Vase Final Details
Cockfosters, from Enfield in north London, will face AFC Stoneham, based in Eastleigh, Hampshire, in the FA Vase final. Cockfosters beat Kent-based Punjab United 3-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals to reach the final.
Lovell says that no-one from his company will be working at Wembley. “Now that I have actually reached the final, no-one is working,” Lovell tells BBC Sport. “All of the lads are coming to watch me. We’ve passed the job on to someone else.”
The Season So Far
Cockfosters have played more than 60 games across all competitions. They had 11 games between 4 April and 4 May.
“I think comparing us to even the Conference South level is ridiculous. We might be getting paid a bit of money, but we don’t have half the recovery available as what they do – and our training is probably a lot different,” explains the defender.
Lovell has played non-league football for more than 15 years.
The defender, 33, is set to join Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney in the history books by leading out a team at Wembley.
When Cockfosters face AFC Stoneham of the Wessex League Premier Division on Sunday, it will be quite the change from the conditions Lovell and his team-mates have encountered over a gruelling season.