Wednesfield aiming to make it a fab-four
Wednesfield are hoping to win their fourth piece of silverware of the season tonight when they play Alvechurch in the JW Hunt Cup final at Molineux.
Boss Dean Gill believes his side are the underdogs going into the fixture – as three leagues separate the West Midlands Regional League Division One runners-up and the Midland Premier champions.
But Gill says his team ‘have a plan’ and Alvechurch will have to be at their best.
Wednesfield have already won the Division One Cup and Birmingham Saturday Vase and secured second spot in the league.
Looking ahead to tonight’s game, which kicks off at 7.30pm, Gill said: “The lads are obviously really excited for tonight. They have trained three times in the last week and are relaxed.
“Playing at Molineux is an added bonus. We have a young squad and nobody has played there before. They are obviously buzzing for that.
“Alvechurch are bigger, stronger, faster and more experienced than us. They are champions of their league for a reason. Their players are further along in their journey as footballers than our lads.
“But we have a plan, and as long as our plan comes off we will be in the game. If we play at our best they will need to be at their best.”
The JW Hunt Cup is a historic and prestigious competition which raises funds for sight-loss charity Beacon Centre, which has its headquarters based in Sedgley.
The cup was formed in 1926 and has raised more than £330,000 in total for the charity. This will be the 91st year the cup has been held.
A total of 32 teams have competed this year from across the Black Country, Staffordshire and Shropshire. Wednesfield have previously won the cup once.
Beacon Centre chief executive Arwyn Jones said: “The JW Hunt Cup is a fantastic event and one we are immensely proud to be a part of. We simply couldn’t do the work we do without the support of this competition and we would like to thank everyone involved. We are all looking forward to the final and I am sure it will be a great evening’s entertainment.”
Former Football League referee Alex Hamil MBE, who is president of the cup, added: “We are all looking forward to this year’s final and would like to thank all the teams who have participated.
“This is a great event for football fans from across the region and we hope to see as many as possible attending on the night.”
Gill hopes up to 1,500 fans will turn up to watch the game. He said: “I have spoke to Alvechurch and they have got 250 fans coming to support them and 1,000 people will be coming out to support Wednesfield.”
Fans will be able to see the cup in the Steve Bull Stand alongside memorabilia from across the years including medals, badges, photos, and the referee’s whistle from the 1926 final. Tickets on the door cost £5.
