Note that this page is from our Gresley Rovers archive. It may not be related to the new Gresley Rovers (formerly Gresley FC until 2020).
Story courtesy of Burton Mail
The big South Derbyshire exodus began shortly after 9am today as thousands of excited Gresley Rovers supporters headed for Wembley Stadium to watch their team in the match of a lifetime.
Coach after coach left Swadlincote, Newhall, Gresley and almost every village around as the red and white army headed south to watch the none-league side take on Guiseley in the final of the FA Vase.Gresley Common thronged in excited supporters from tiny tots to great granddads as around 20 club coaches arrived to take them to the capital.
Thousands of other fans were leaving on pub and club-organised coaches and hundreds more were going by train.
And are we going to win? “Of course we are,” said Mrs Phyllis Smith, 64 from Midway, “by two goals to one!”
Meanwhile local publicans were predicting lunchtime to be “as quiet as the grave.”
The Mount Pleasant pub, close to Gresley’s ground, took the almost unknown step of not opening this lunchtime.
“It’s not worth it – it seems everyone has gone to Wembley, including the landlord,” said a lady who answered the phone at the pub today.
Win or lose, Gresley players will return to a heroes’ welcome in South Derbyshire tomorrow and a civic reception from the District Council.
At 1.20pm the squad will board an open topped bus at Toons Carpet Warehouse on the A444 at Castle Gresley and this is expected to pass the Rising Sun in Church Street at 1.30pm.
At 1.50 it arrives at Swadlincote Bus Station followed by the reception at Green Bank Leisure Centre. Between 3pm and 3.30pm the bus leaves there for it’s return journey to Gresley.
