Bury OAP's marathon trek to FA Cup Final

9:45am Saturday 17th May 2008

WHEN 80,000 football supporters pack into Wembley for this afternoon's FA Cup final, few can have travelled more miles on their road to the national stadium than super-fan Alan Norman.

The 70-year-old's journey to the final started in Flixton in August when he watched a game in the Extra Preliminary Round - and since then he has been to a game in every stage of the competition, ending in today's showdown between Portsmouth and Cardiff.

On his way to Wembley, Chelsea supporter Mr Norman, from Bury, has watched matches at Flixton, Chorley, Radcliffe Borough, Bamber Bridge, AFC Hornchurch, Southport, Bury, Chelsea, Barnet, Barnsley and Wembley.

Mr Norman, who has followed England in four World Cups and two European Championships, said: "The first real problem came when England were playing on the same day as one of the early rounds. I rang up the FA and they told me that AFC Hornchurch were playing on a Friday night, so I went along to that game.

"I started following my club Chelsea once they came into the compeititon, but it presented a problem when they were knocked out. I was struggling to get tickets for the semi-finals, so I wrote to all the clubs and Barnsley came up trumps with a ticket and I got a final ticket through somebody I know. I have done it for my love of football."

The pensioner, who volunteers for the Bury Blind Society, also watched England in every game of their World Cup winning campaign of 1966.

Mr Norman's road to Wembley Extra Preliminary Round: Flixton v Bootle Preliminary Round: Chorley v Warrington Town First round qualifying: Radcliffe Borough v Cammel Laird Second round qualifying: Bamber Bridge v Burscough Third round qualifying: AFC Hornchurch v Dulwich Hamlet Fourth round qualifying: Southport v Northwich First round: Bury v Workington Town Second round: Bury v Exeter Third round: Chelsea v QPR Fourth round: Barnet v Bristol Rovers Fifth round: Chelsea v Huddersfield Town Quater-final: Barnsley v Chelsea Semi-final: Barnsley v Cardiff City Final: Cardiff City v Portsmouth

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