WEMBLEY LOVE AFFAIR MADE GEOFF'S DREAMS COME TRUE

GEOFF Chapple had a dream as a teenager but not even he could have imagined it to pan out like it did.

“As a 14-year-old schoolboy we were given an essay to write the two things we most wanted in life,” he told The NLP. “Mine were to own a BMW and play football at Wembley.

“I’ve since had about five BMWs. I didn’t get to play at Wembley but I had the next best thing!”

Didn’t he just. Having been manager of Woking since 1984, the Cards had only progressed past the last 16 once during his tenure before a magical run to Wembley in 1994, the first of five successes for the former forward under the Twin Towers.

Their first appearance was confirmed after a semi-final replay win over Enfield at Adams Park, Wycombe, having drawn 1-1 across two legs. It proved to be an emotional experience for Chapple.

“I drove up to my late parents’ house after the game. They died before I took over at Woking,” he said.

“It was 3am. I was so chuffed to get to Wembley that I wanted to feel close to them, be where I spent most of my life.

“I must admit I shed a few tears. I got home an hour later and recorded the ClubCall line, we used to make about £1,500 a month from people ringing in.

“I still remember saying at the start: The dream is now a reality. Woking are going to Wembley.”

Goals from Dereck Brown and Darran Hay helped them defeat Runcorn 2-1 in the final, a scoreline they replicated a year later over Kidderminster Harriers when Scott Steele’s first-minute curler and Colin Fielder’s extra-time header made it back-to-back glory for the Surrey side.

“We didn’t think we could emulate the previous year but it gives you a liking for it,” declared Chapple.

“We had an excellent team playing total football, just how I wanted it.