Beano dreaming of a Wembley goal (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Beano dreaming of a Wembley goal

11:25am Friday 11th May 2007 in Football By Nick Mashiter

EXCITED former Chippenham Town ace James Constable is already dreaming of scoring in the first cup final at the new Wembley.

Constable and his new club Kidderminster Harriers face Stevenage Borough in the FA Trophy final on Saturday with over 70,000 fans expected.

The ex-Bluebird, 23, as well as being Harriers' top marksman with 13 goals, is the competition's joint leading goalscorer with seven strikes in six games.

He will battle it out with Stevenage's Steve Morison, who also has seven, as the top scorer wins tickets to the UEFA Cup Final between Espanyol and Sevilla at Hampden Park, Glasgow on Wednesday, May 16.

"I wake up in the morning and remember the dream I'd had of scoring," he said.

"I want to score, but I also want to win. At the club we try not to put pressure on ourselves but I am an ambitious person. I want to do the best I can and hopefully win some silverware."

Constable has been playing through the pain barrier since January with a long standing groin injury he picked up while at Walsall, who he joined after leaving the Bluebirds in 2005.

He is delaying surgery until the end of the season to help Harriers clinch a trophy.

"I don't want to put it as a reason why I haven't scored as many goals as I should have but it does hinder my running," he said.

"I have had to cut down on my training. In April we had ten games and I had to slow down otherwise I would have burnt out.

"I could have had an operation when I was at Walsall but then I would have been out for seven weeks and might not have moved to Kidderminster. It was a no brainer."

Harriers will travel to London on Friday night to take in the biggest stadium in England and shake off any pre match jitters.

"We are going to have a look so it won't be as much of a shock and to get rid of some nerves," said Constable.

"Although with 70,000 people there on Saturday it will be a little bit different.

"It is a complete mixture of excitement and nerves, with the build up being so hyped up we are looking forward to getting there.

"I can't believe it has only been four weeks since we got through, it feels like months. Knowing we are going to play there has made it difficult to concentrate."

More than 200 friends, family and Chippenham supporters are travelling to Wembley on Saturday to add to the near capacity crowd.

"It has been amazing. It is a great feeling to know they are all still supporting me even when I am not there," said Constable.

"Hopefully we can put on a good show and make the trip worthwhile."

Win or lose, a civic reception with an open top bus parade is planned through Kidderminster, something which the former Walsall ace is looking forward to.

"There's going to be a few nights out," he joked.

"Hopefully we can show off what we have won, but it will be a nice way to say thanks to all the fans for their support."