A footballer who believed his playing days had been ended by a terrible injury is set to walk on the hallowed turf of Wembley with his boys as he takes part in an historic cup final.
Matt Coad snapped a cruciate ligament playing for his Northern League side, West Auckland, but surgeons replaced it with one of his hamstrings.
And after two successful operations and a host of physiotherapy, the Sherwoods parts delivery driver was back on his feet and playing for his team.
The 27 year-old winger is now one of the squad due to play in the FA Vase final at Wembley on 13th May against Dunston.
“I managed to secure a YTS with York City straight from school and did a year with them as a professional,” said Matt.
“After that I played for Crook Town but recently snapped my cruciate ligament. I thought ‘that’s it, game over’. It went through my head a million times whether I would ever play again and now, look, my first season back and I’m being rewarded by playing for West Auckland at Wembley. You dream of it as a boy but you don’t imagine it will ever happen.
“There are players out there getting £100,000 a week who will never get to play at Wembley; and look at us, delivery drivers, builders, electricians, getting to play in the national stadium.”
Bishop Auckland's local community newspaper.
