Playing at Wembley is the dream for all players and officials, but what exactly goes into arranging a game of this magnitude, we spoke to Bay Secretary Derek Breakwell to get the low down. "Getting to Wembley is a wonderful achievement, but you have to deal with a lot of people. After qualifying we had to attend a Pre Final Organisation Meeting at Wembley on the Wednesday after the Semi-Final(at the clubs expense) to go through all aspects of the game, Ticketing, Media Coverage, Security, spinning the coin for strip colour etc." "Then its booking the hotel which sounds easy but has only been finalised today there a lot of things to make sure everything is right. Ian and Tony Woodhouse began the negotiation Jen finished it off, booking the team coach, arranging training facilities(which Gavin Fell did), continually keep up dating the various departments at Wembley as to how things are progressing. " "Peter Siddle has organised the ticket sales and outlets, Paul McIlduff the train, strip sponsor, Dave Styles the new strip and training gear, Tommy Moody the supporters coaches, Leon organised the players suits. " "We had to go back to Wembley the following week with some players for a Media Day(paid for by the FA). There are so many things to keep on top of I've probably missed somethings off on top of all those games to we had to play. Ultimately it's a team effort but its up to me to ensure everything is to the FA's liking." "It's different to last year, but I think it was to be expected as last year had the novelty value of the first NE team at Wembley, a cheap way to see Wembley compared to England games or Cup Finals etc. NUFC didn't help by winning the Championship and hogging the headlines but I think there has been more interest this week. There was an excellent 8 page pull out in the Sunday Sun and also the TV are now making enquiries." "I've been watching Whitley Bay since 1956 and have seen some great Bay teams in that time. The 60's team was exceptional, Billy Wright, Ken Sloan, Brian Oakley etc all great footballers and with a bit more luck would have reached Wembley in 1966 when they lost to Hendon in the Amateur Cup Semi at Roker Park. The late eighties team was also a top team, with the likes of Kevin Todd, Andy Gowens, a young Ian Chandler but I think the team over the last 3 years has been every bit as good as its predecessors certainly for entertaining, flowing football with plenty of goals at the end of it, The crowds over the 3 years also reflect that." Derek became football secretary in 1993 after working on a club fanzine shortly before "The previous couple of years a group of us started a Fanzine called Sitting in the Lounge of the Bay(adapted from the Otis Redding song Sitting on the Dock of the Bay). It was quite good and became notorious when we were banned from the ground for making some scurrilous comments about the then Board. A bit like getting red carded on the forum I suppose these days." "Our last issue was subtitled the Lunatics are taking over the Asylum. A few weeks later one of our band Phil Harrison became Chairman." Bay officials are encouraging fans to head for the Green Man pub before and after the game, talks are still ongoing to arrange for the supporters coaches to drop off there and the team will be going after the game to meet with fans. MM | 
