The next in our exclusive series of interviews with the Tunbridge Wells players who have taken the club to this weekend’s FA Vase Final at Wembley.

This latest interview focuses on one of the most experienced members of the squad who has been described as a “strong voice” in both training and on match days… it’s ANDY BOYLE.

We first asked Andy about the past few weeks. He told us, “The amount of games that we’ve had to play over the last few weeks I have to admit that it did take a while to sink in, as we didn’t have a chance to catch our breath and think about it. I think that when we went to get the suits measured up it was a nice touch and it brought it home to a lot of the lads.”

“Once we realised that we weren’t going to challenge for the League and the pressure there was off, it helped no end and there were a lot of smiles in the changing room!”

“We haven’t really had much of a chance to think about anything other than playing Vase football throughout the run as we’ve been fully focused on that as its been our number one priority. So each week both training sessions were geared to what we were going to do in the Vase games on a 3G pitch which undoubtedly did help!”

“I’ve been around a few different clubs and here for a while as well as Chatham, Maidstone and Tonbridge to name a few others but this is something unique!”

“And the fact that we’re doing it without being paid for it – we are getting some extras like boots and kit and the like – which means that by and large we’re all doing it for each other at the club and I’ve never been at a club like that before. There’s no big time Charlie’s here – we all pull in the same direction and it’s brilliant and has helped us I’m sure of it!”

Andy then told us about a couple of text messages that he received after the side won the Semi Final. “When we won at Shildon, I actually got a couple of text messages from a couple of the lads I played with at Chatham – Steve Best and Phil Miles – and they were both at Deal, though Steve of course was part of the team that got to Wembley and that was a really nice touch!”

“That Deal team was very successful and to get the messages from the boys was really terrific and genuinely all the teams that we’ve played have afterwards said congrats and now go and do it for our league, which is nice – we’re all part of the same League and we all want each other to do well.”

“Saying that it is a very different Wembley to the one that Bestie played in though which is nice – Bestie’s team played under the Twin Towers, and they were the last side to win the Vase under the Towers, and so we’re the first Kent side to play the Vase final under the Arch which is nice. A couple of the lads have been there already for the media day and looking at the pictures it is just fantastic – I’ve been there a couple of times myself and it is one awesome arena and its going to be brilliant!”

Approaching the “twilight” of his playing career, Andy admitted, “I never ever imagined that one day I could be playing at Wembley. To be honest over the last couple of years I’ve been thinking about my coaching options and seeing what happens. I honestly just didn’t see this happening!”

“I said to Martin at the start of the season, and you can ask him if you don’t believe me, that I honestly thought the season was going to be a good one thinking that we might do something in one of the League Cups or have a good run in the League and then the momentum just started building and I said to him “We could do something here! This could be a special one!” And if it does prove to be my last, what a way to go out – is there a better way to hang your boots up? I don’t think so…”

As one of the “seniors”, what sort of relationship does Andy “enjoy” with Wells boss Martin Larkin?

“We don’t always see eye to eye and there’s a lot of difficult team selections and so it’s not an easy job for Martin, but he and Brad by a mile, get us the most organised of any manager that I have ever played for,” Andy admitted.

“We have scouting reports, we have set pieces where we know exactly what we’re supposed to do with it; if a player’s left foot or right foot and where to show them and that’s the sort of stuff that makes a difference on the day, so I think you know this is the best team that I’ve played for in regards to preparations and that’s down to Martin and Brad so hats to both of them.”

Just for a few seconds, we asked Andy to “rehearse” what would be going through his mind. “It’s got to be try and enjoy it and take it in – remember it; soak it all in as it’s a once in a lifetime thing – of course we want to win and have that trophy at the end of the day, but it’s also about enjoying the occasion; looking for your family and friends in the crowd and just soaking up the atmosphere and I think that’s something that will be very difficult to do, with everything going through the mind, but we must, must, must enjoy the day!”

Join us later for the next in our series of “Road to Wembley” as we speak to every member of the Tunbridge Wells squad. Next up is Andy McMath…