Walsall match day volunteer in VIP Wembley tour
Gary EdwardsA match day volunteer at Walsall FC's Bescot Stadium was treated to a VIP day out at Wembley for his 80th birthday.
In a visit organised by Walsall FC Foundation, the team's official charity, Gary Edwards was presented with a signed shirt before Friday's semi-final, and then took a behind the scenes tour before Monday's final.
The pensioner has run the tuck shop at Bescot as a match day volunteer since the stadium was built in 1990.
He said Walsall's defeat on Monday was "disappointing", but his birthday tour was a "brilliant experience".
Gary EdwardsA Walsall fan since he was a teenager, he told BBC Radio WM that his son was a member of the junior Saddlers team when he was asked to run the tuck shop 35 years ago, and he is still doing it.
The top sellers at the moment are Haribo sweets and KitKats, he said.
After he toured Wembley with his grandson, he said the highlight was seeing the royal box and the media room, and he went on the pitch.
"We went round in the media room which was great," he said.
He described how he was able to sit behind the press conference desk imagining what it was like to be the England manager, while the man who showed them round sat in the audience.
"We went up into the royal box," he said, "And we went to where the players have the trophy after, which unfortunately wasn't Walsall."
Signed shirt
Remembering how he visited the old Wembley stadium 10 times, he said he still recalled paying seven shillings and sixpence for a ticket – which was 33p.
The original Wembley, which opened in 1923, had been famous for its twin towers.
It was demolished in 2003 to make way for a modern 90,000-capacity venue. Monday's visit was his third trip to the new stadium.
Walsall FC Foundation posted on Facebook: "To celebrate our volunteer Gary's 80th birthday, we presented him with a signed shirt before our play off semi-final on Friday.
"Thanks to EFL (English Football League) in the Community, we've also gifted him a VIP experience at Wembley Stadium on Monday ahead of the final."
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