Three times as player and once as manager – Steve Watson has experienced more than his fair share of Wembley Stadium heartache.
As a player, the 43-year-old former Newcastle United and Aston Villa man played in Emirates FA Cup finals and the Charity Shield before taking Macclesfield Town to last season’s Buildbase FA Trophy final, where they were defeated 3-2 by York City.
Now in charge of Gateshead, he’s gearing up for a fourth-round trop to National League rivals Leyton Orient, aiming to move a step closer to teeing up another shot at glory.
“Before the 1998 FA Cup final, Kenny Dalglish took me into his office.
He told me I hadn’t played enough football to start for my boyhood club Newcastle United. For a local lad desperate to start, hearing that was a bitter blow.
Kenny brought me on in the 75th minute. By then it was 2-0 and Arsenal were imperious back then. I had Marc Overmars running at me and didn’t know which way was up.
Our performances in finals against Arsenal (a 2-0 defeat) and Manchester United the following year were very underwhelming. We didn’t really land a blow in either.
Having moved to Villa, I didn’t make the squad for the 2000 FA Cup final and even in the Charity Shield with Newcastle (in 1996) – we got beat 4-0!
Then there was the FA Trophy final last year. That was different in that everyone would say the Macclesfield team I managed were much the better team.
Neill Byrne was my captain that day and I’ve brought him with me to Gateshead – the pair of us only have fond memories of the build-up and we all enjoyed the weekend.
We outplayed York but didn’t finish our chances and made too bad mistakes for goals. In a final, playing well means nothing when you come away empty-handed.
So on four occasions, I’ve gone to Wembley in different guises and not come away with a single win.
I’m desperate to put that record straight. It would mean the world to take this club all the way in the FA Trophy.
Our lads dream of being Football League players and, being honest, it won’t happen to all of them.
You have some fantastic footballers all the way to the Premier League who’ve won major honours and trophies but never played in cup final.
That’s the message I’m giving in the dressing-room – unless you’re me, it’s a chance in a lifetime.
Do embrace it. It’s not every season you get two games away.
I’m not playing it down – lads need to know how special Wembley is. I’ve thrown the gauntlet down to them and they’ve risen to each challenge.
The lads have dug in and they’ve produced for me. We were chasing the game in the second and third round, so to force replays in those shows a lot of spirit.
We have to remember, as a National League side, we’re at the highest level to play in the Trophy.
We’ve lost twice away from home in 25 since I took over.
I just love being out coaching in the wind and rain. Anyone who knows me knows how uncomfortable I am sitting in a room with a suit on.
Lots of my former team-mates went into the media and the industry is fascinating, but it’s just not me.
A phrase I’ve used a lot since making the move into management is not having any regrets.
In those Newcastle cup finals, we didn’t play to our potential and we maybe thought more about what Arsenal can do than what we could do.
There’s not one team left in the draw Gateshead need to worry about in that sense.
Before Orient, I’ll tell the boys to play with confidence, drive forward and leave everything on the pitch.
It’s cup football after all. Believe me – it’s all about winning.”
