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| Walsall fans head to Wembley for Johnstone's Paint Trophy final | Walsall fans head to Wembley for Johnstone's Paint Trophy final |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Thousands of Walsall fans are arriving at Wembley to watch their club compete there for the first time in its 127-year history. | Thousands of Walsall fans are arriving at Wembley to watch their club compete there for the first time in its 127-year history. |
| The League One team will face Bristol City in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy final. | The League One team will face Bristol City in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy final. |
| It will be one of the best-attended games in the UK this weekend, with more than 70,000 tickets sold - 30,000 to Walsall fans. | It will be one of the best-attended games in the UK this weekend, with more than 70,000 tickets sold - 30,000 to Walsall fans. |
| Saddlers manager Dean Smith said he was very proud of his players. | Saddlers manager Dean Smith said he was very proud of his players. |
| Smith, who began his playing career at the club, said: "You go into competitions all the time to go and win things. | Smith, who began his playing career at the club, said: "You go into competitions all the time to go and win things. |
| 'Astonishing achievement' | 'Astonishing achievement' |
| "This is a cup final and there'll only be three cup winners this season in England and hopefully we've got a 50-50 chance to be one of them." | "This is a cup final and there'll only be three cup winners this season in England and hopefully we've got a 50-50 chance to be one of them." |
| Former Aston Villa goalkeeper Nigel Spink was one of the hundreds of Walsall fans to drive down to Wembley on Sunday. He said spirits were good, although they became caught up in traffic close to Wembley Stadium. | |
| Walsall are one of just four of the 92 clubs in the top four divisions never to have played at Wembley. Their appearance in Sunday's final will leave Hartlepool United, Accrington Stanley and Crawley Town as the remaining three not to have been to the national stadium. | Walsall are one of just four of the 92 clubs in the top four divisions never to have played at Wembley. Their appearance in Sunday's final will leave Hartlepool United, Accrington Stanley and Crawley Town as the remaining three not to have been to the national stadium. |
| Forty-six coaches taking fans to London left from a retail park next to Walsall's Bescot Stadium, along with other coaches from various venues in and around the town, the club said. | Forty-six coaches taking fans to London left from a retail park next to Walsall's Bescot Stadium, along with other coaches from various venues in and around the town, the club said. |
| Fans travelling by rail were advised to give themselves plenty of time to get there due to engineering work on the Chiltern line between Birmingham and Wembley. | Fans travelling by rail were advised to give themselves plenty of time to get there due to engineering work on the Chiltern line between Birmingham and Wembley. |
| Fan Mike Olley said the team's "spectacular" away form led him to place a £50 bet on his team to win. | Fan Mike Olley said the team's "spectacular" away form led him to place a £50 bet on his team to win. |
| "I was at Barnsley last weekend which wasn't the greatest display, but really we do play very well away from home," he said. | "I was at Barnsley last weekend which wasn't the greatest display, but really we do play very well away from home," he said. |
| "We've had some spectacular victories away this season and that's what's given me the confidence to put the bet on. | "We've had some spectacular victories away this season and that's what's given me the confidence to put the bet on. |
| "I've worked out that my [Wembley] ticket has really cost me about 40p for every year of the 127 years we've not got to Wembley." | "I've worked out that my [Wembley] ticket has really cost me about 40p for every year of the 127 years we've not got to Wembley." |
| Mayor of Walsall Pete Smith said what the manager had done for the town and club was "absolutely fantastic". | Mayor of Walsall Pete Smith said what the manager had done for the town and club was "absolutely fantastic". |
| He said: "He must be a very proud man to be the first manager to take Walsall to Wembley in its 127-year history." | He said: "He must be a very proud man to be the first manager to take Walsall to Wembley in its 127-year history." |
| Dean Smith's son, Jamie, 17, who is hoping to earn a professional contract with the Saddlers, said: "(From) his first season when he went in charge and kept them up [in League One] to getting them to Wembley now is quite an astonishing achievement." | Dean Smith's son, Jamie, 17, who is hoping to earn a professional contract with the Saddlers, said: "(From) his first season when he went in charge and kept them up [in League One] to getting them to Wembley now is quite an astonishing achievement." |