Hard work rewarded

The FA Carlsberg Vase
The Final
3pm, Sunday 11 May 2008
Wembley Stadium
Click here for this season's results 
Winning club receives £20,000

For Kirkham & Wesham skipper Dougie Shaw, The FA Carlsberg Vase Final marks the end of a long, hard season, both on and off the pitch.

“It’s been a bit of a stop-start season for me,” Shaw explained.

“I played the first ten to 15 games of the season, then got injured and missed ten or 15 games, but now I’m back in the squad.

"With the North West Counties Second Division Trophy final and, of course, The FA Vase Final at Wembley – you can’t really ask for much more in a season.  It’s probably the best season I could possibly have asked for.”

A self-employed plasterer, Shaw’s week is spent doing his day job, but despite his hectic work schedule, he’s as committed to his football as he is to his profession, even though it often leaves him physically drained.

“It’s hard to fit football in around a job, but if you want to play you’ve got to dedicate yourself to it,” said the 30-year-old. “But towards the end of our season, we’ve had to play three games a week. It’s been a bit of a push and I am absolutely knackered now!”

With The Final taking place this Sunday, Shaw is hopeful that Kirkham & Wesham have the ability to make their appearance at Wembley a memorable one.

“We can’t worry too much about the opposition," he added. 

"We just need to look after ourselves first and foremost.  We’ve got enough quality in the squad to go out there and win the game.”

And how about leading the side up the steps to collect The FA Vase?

“It’s what dreams are made of, isn’t it?  I’ve never thought about ever doing it until we actually made it through the Semi-Final.  It took a few weeks for it to actually sink in that we really were going to Wembley. 

“When we started out, we said ‘let’s see how far we can go’ and it’s taken us all the way to The Final. Anything can happen on the day, and I just hope we perform.”