The football fraternity comes up trumps again. I now have my ticket for the FA Cup Final. Thanks to Peter Tissington

The big news from yesterday is that I have a ticket for the FA Cup Final! Every year there are a small number of individuals who are doing the ‘Road to Wembley’ from the Extra Preliminary Round of the FA Cup right through to the final. I like to think that my ‘Road’ is special as it is from Scotland but the truth is that everyone who undertakes this journey has a unique and memorable exoerience. When I was at Penrith on the 6^th August 2016 to watch the FA Cup EP tie between Penrith and Sunderland Ryhope Community Association one of my fellow ‘Roaders’, Peter Tissington, was at the game between Staveley Miners Welfare and Winsford United as  it was the EP Round game nearest to his home in Sheffield. Winsford won that but were knocked out by Whitby Town and Whitby were subsequently knocked out by Spennymoor. At this stage I was following Chorley who had just knocked out Dunston. So on the 1^st October 2016 when Spennymoor hosted Chorley in the 3^rd qualifying round I met up with Peter for the first time.

Fellow 'Road to Wembley-er' Peter Tissington at Turf Moor in round 5

 Since that day, every three weeks I have been travelling many miles to meet up with Peter at places such as Milton Keynes, Lincoln, London and Brighton. Our regular meetings have prompted some people to question my sexuality. Along the road I have managed on a couple of occasions to help Peter out with tickets and on a couple of occasions Peter has reciprocated. We have become good pals. Luckily we have both managed to get tickets for each and every match in each and every round. Yesterday I got the call from Peter that he had managed to get two tickets for the FA Cup Final and I am so grateful to Peter that he has earmarked one of these golden tickets for me. Thanks pal. The power of people eh!

At this point I must also thank everyone that had received my messages and tried to source a ticket for me. Special thanks to Craig McGlasson the Stadium Announcer at Penrith FC who was very close to securing a ticket when I got the phone call from Peter. Thanks Craig and to all at Penrith FC who were trying to get this sorted on my behalf.

Craig McGlasson: Many thanks for trying to get me the golden ticket

With this post bringing the big ticket news I am going to postpone my ‘Caledonian Chelsea’ post until tomorrow. However, I have started the research and there are some cracking stories including the impact made at Stamford Bridge by Scots Hughie Gallacher, Tommy Walker, Eddie McCreadie and Charlie Cooke. Tomorrow will be an intoxicating Tartan Special! I have also discovered who the last Scot to play for Chelsea is and I wonder if any Blues fans will know the answer to this very difficult quiz question. Come back here tomorrow to find out and also to read of the tartan trim on the blue Chelsea shirt. Most of all … keep reading!