“THIS time next year, Rodney, I’ll be on that pitch.”
When Albie Hall watched Newport Pagnell Town lift last season’s FA Vase at Wembley, the thought of him helping history to repeat itself seemed as likely as Del Boy hitting the jackpot with another harebrained scheme in Only Fools and Horses.
Twelve months on and the Swans hotshot – aStep 7 striker with Pitstone & Ivinghoe when Gary Flinn’s side saw off Littlehampton Town – returns to the home of English football with 38 goals to show for his first season at Willen Road.
And Hall admits today’s showpiece against Ascot United is quite literally dream-come-true territory after a year of wondering what it would be like to relive the magic from the centre stage.
“I went to watch when they won it and once you know you are going to sign, it crosses your mind,” Hall told The NLP. “You do think about it, you can say that you don’t but you do. As the competition goes on you don’t want to talk about it but then it gets nearer and nearer, it becomes real and you cannot ignore it.”
Hall has more than played his part in making sure it was not just a pipedream, too, scoring seven goals in six Vase ties up to this point.
This season’s run kicked off with a hat-trick in the 4-1 win at Baldock Town before Hall scored four minutes from time to decide a 1-0 win at Norwich United.
He got the goal in a draw 1-1 with Leighton Town before nervously watching his colleagues win 7-6 on penalties after being substituted.
Hall made no mistake with a pair of penalties to twice rein in Atherstone Town in the quarter-final before getting away with hitting the angle of post and bar in a shootout that the Swans won 4-3 and then bent into the top corner the winning penalty at Congleton Town in the semi-final.
“I had a few trials here and there but never signed anywhere, this is the highest level I have played at,” revealed Hall.
“I got 45 goals in 32 games at Pitstone so I had a few eyes on me. I made the move into Step 5 and luckily I have continued to do it here.
“It was not easy, I had not even been used to playing Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday but the lads were great from day one, welcomed me in and I settled pretty quickly.
“Once you start scoring, your confidence just takes you through and I have loved it. I am really competitive and want to win all the time so coming into a team of winners, I just thought it would be perfect for me. It is the right mix and it has worked out well.”
Six of Newport Pagnell’s ties over the past two seasons have been settled via penalty shootouts and Hall knows he is not the only hero with goalkeeper Martin Conway making his name by taking and saving crucial spot-kicks.
“He is unbelievable – you know he is going to score and you know he is going to save one, maybe two. As long as we score, we feel confident,” Hall added. “I remember watching the shootout against Leighton and thinking that when it comes down to it, these boys just know how to see it through.”
