Final showdown for Leon's Lyons

Hetton Lyons skipper Leon Ryan is looking to make history this weekend in the first part of a unique double this season.

The Durham outfit are aiming to become the first team to win The FA Carlsberg Sunday Cup for the third time at Anfield this weekend, and Ryan is the only player remaining from all three campaigns.

But it doesn’t end there for the former Durham City man. For the second season running, he’s also preparing for his club duties on a Saturday, as his Whitley Bay team are readying themselves for a defence of their FA Carlsberg Vase crown.

Ryan was part of the Bay side who lifted The Vase a year ago, and at Wembley in a fortnight he’s set to lead the Northern League club out under the Arch against Wroxham. But before that, he’s focused on Hetton Lyons as they face Magnet Tavern at the home of Liverpool FC.

“I’ve played in two Sunday Cup Finals before, but this one will be extra-special as I’ll be captain,” said Ryan. “I’m really looking forward to it, this will hopefully be a great weekend for the club.”

Hetton Lyons are made up of some of the north-east’s top non-league players, with Northern League champions Spennymoor Town providing many of the players. After success in The FA Sunday Cup in 2006 and 2008, the club now know they will become record winners if they can get the better of Magnet, and may also decide to call time on their club.

“This could potentially be our last year, we want to go out on a high and be the only team to have won The Sunday Cup three times,” revealed Ryan.

“I’m the only one remaining from the previous two Cup wins so it would be great to be the only person to win The Sunday Cup three times.”

And though he tries to keep his Whitley Bay allegiances out of his Sunday football, Ryan can’t avoid his Saturday League rivals. Whitley Bay can potentially finish second in their league, but won’t be able to overhaul Spennymoor.

“They’ve been the best side in our league,” said Ryan. “At Hetton there’s me, three Shildon lads and the rest are Spennymoor Town. It’s a completely separate thing to our Saturday football, though, and we don’t try to talk about Saturdays. However, last year when we got through to The Vase Final, I went to the Hetton game in a Whitley Bay shirt. That wound a few of them up!

“But this weekend we feel we’ve got a very good chance,” he added.

“Our manager’s made it his ambition to be the only side out in the front with three wins, and if we can do that, I’m sure it’ll be a good time to call it a day.”