leahortez86: Stoke City FA Cup Final: 'I'll interrupt my holiday for Stoke'

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Stoke City FA Cup Final: 'I'll interrupt my holiday for Stoke'

DEDICATED Stoke City fan Aaron Lawton is so determined to see his beloved Potters at Wembley he is flying from Malaysia to London halfway through a family holiday.

When Aaron and his partner Jacqui Brunton booked the trip to Malaysia, they were careful to avoid the cup final date – after Stoke almost made it last year, only to be knocked out by Chelsea in the quarter-final.

But, when the Football Association moved the match to May 14 to accommodate the European Champions League final, it fell in the middle of their holiday.

So, after watching Stoke score five past Bolton to reach their first ever FA Cup final, Aaron, aged 43, was determined he would be back at Wembley.

Season-ticket holder Aaron, of Stoke-on-Trent, who flies to Malaysia today, said: "I went to Wembley for the semi-final and it was awesome. One of the best days of my life.

"Last year when Stoke made it to the quarter finals we were due to go to Malaysia when the FA Cup final was on and I kept saying I was going to miss it, then we got knocked out by Chelsea.

"This year we were careful just in case and arranged the holiday so we'd be back but then the FA moved the final back for the Champions League, that was what stuffed us.

"I've been watching Stoke for 25 years. I went to the Auto Windshields final which was great, but the FA Cup is something else.

"I can't miss it, I might never get another chance to see Stoke in the FA Cup final."

Aaron will fly from Malaysia on Friday, May 13, stopping off at Kuala Lumpur, then on to Heathrow. He will spend one night in London after watching the match, then return to Malaysia on Sunday, May 15 for his remaining week on holiday. The journey will take 15 hours each way and will cost him �1,300.

The warehouse worker with TP Engineering said: "It's worth it."

Aaron, who lists Carl Saunders, Nigel Gleghorn and Lou Macari as his all-time favourite Potters and Rory Delap, pictured, from the current crop, added: "Tony Pulis and Peter Coates have done wonders for this club.

"I like direct football – get it up top and score a goal, it's exciting. I couldn't watch Arsenal, all that passing.

"I think the final is going to be tight, but I think it's our year. I think we'll win 1-0 or 2-1."

Jacqui, aged 43, who will remain in Malaysia with her parents, Ray, aged 80, and Sheila, aged 76, said: "I gave him an ultimatum, me or Stoke – you can tell which way it went.

"I watched the semi-final with my parents. My mum said to me, 'you do know Aaron's on about coming back if Stoke make the final', I said, 'don't be daft'.

"When he came home from Wembley he hardly spoke for two days. I said, 'I know what's wrong with you'."