KSN continues our build up to the FA Carlsberg Vase Final on May 4th with another exclusive interview with a member of the Tunbridge Wells squad looking to emulate the Deal Town side that won the trophy 13 years ago.

The man who’s nickname is “Hooley” and returned to the Culvenden for a second spell earlier this season, and has been a key member of the side on the “March to the Arch”… it’s CARL CORNELL.

Carl has been an integral part of the Wells run but recently has been on the fringes of the starting eleven and began on the recent Kent Senior Trophy win over Lordswood on the bench before coming on to set up the winning goal, knows as well as anyone that no one is guaranteed a starting position on May 4th.

“Everyone wants a place on the pitch at Wembley – who’d be a manager huh?” Carl asked… “You’ve got to feel for the three or four players who aren’t going to be playing but we’ve all got to keep our heads down and work hard – I know that that’s the only way I can get a shirt and banging in a few more goals when I go get a chance will no doubt help.”

“It’s been hard since the Semi Final – we’re all trying to stay fit by playing and that helps having a 20 – 22 man squad and it now is all about staying fit really. When we do play we’ve got five or six players who aren’t in the squad now every time we play which shows how strong we are number wise.”

“We’ve had some scares en route and there have been times when I thought that was it. Larkhall when we were 3-2 down – obviously Shildon; when the second goal went in I thought that we were in trouble and when the third one goes in we’re dead and buried! But then again team spirit raised itself again and saw us home and showed again just how much it means to us all.”

“The whole run has been incredible – it seems that our names been on the Cup albeit from about the second round onwards. We’ve had a bit of luck which all Cup Finalists need in all competitions but it’s been a great run and is all part of the what we’ve achieved!”

“The support that the town has given us is fantastic and it would be really great if we could get 10,000 behind us on the day which in itself would be almost double the total attendance of last year’s Final.”

“The support that we had at the Senior Trophy Final was great and being from Tonbridge myself, I know how much it will mean to the Town – it would be so special. Being local I’ve had to get five times the number we were given and I think i’m going to end up with 50 odd tickets…”

“It’s everyones dream to sit in the Wembley dressing room before a big game waiting to be called out onto the pitch and now we’re going to be in that position come the fourth of May. It still hasn’t sunk in yet to be honest but it will do and I cant wait!”

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

Picture supplied by Mark Hughes.