It was at Gainsborough where the panic started to set in. No, I don’t mean the last 10 minutes where we were literally holding on in order to get to Wembley; rather the realisation that now we were going to Wembley, how we were going to get all the wheelchair users and other DSA members there!
The successful minibus trip to Gainsborough was the spur that proved we could do it. That was where we were fortunate to find a local charity called Chariotts that took not only DSA wheelchair users and ambulant, but non disabled supporters too. It not only helped make the trip financially viable but it was a good laugh!
Now we needed to find more minibuses to take as many DSA members to Wembley as possible; in 4 weeks!
The obvious hire companies and taxi firms proved too expensive and local government transport was tied up in too much red tape. Eventually, after a serious amount of networking, a local residential home, Pendine Park, came to the rescue with 2 more minibuses.
With less than 24 hours until departure; the minibuses were well and truly snowed in. It was looking as though the 27 passengers weren’t going to get on the buses let alone get to Wembley! That’s until the Red Army stepped up to the mark; A quick telephone call and the minibuses were being dug out of the snow on Saturday before being literally dug back into the snow at Glyndwr University ready for the Sunday morning pick up.
The passengers went through turmoil themselves just to make the pick-up; one member who lives 10 miles from Wrexham had to get a last minute train to Wembley before marrying up with the minibuses just for the return trip home! Others had made their own arrangements and arrived by various means from all over the country to cheer on the Reds to a memorable FA Trophy win.
For example Charlie and his son Jack, pictured at Wembley prior to kick off, (he is 21 and severely Autistic – he is of very few words, but the Wrexham, Wrexham chant is one of his few ‘sentences’) travelled from Wiltshire.
Going to watch Wrexham is one of Jack’s most enjoyable days out – he’s dad has even ‘inducted’ the carers at his residential home to his match day routine via a coaching session at Forest Green Rovers; now Jack’s carers can take him independently.
Jack enjoyed the big day out at Wembley although extra time and penalties tested his attention span. Charlie was worried that they might have to leave early, but was rescued from such an eventually by allowing Jack to watch Countdown on an I–Phone – Phew!