Whitstable Town secure trip to Wembley for FA Vase final
A non-league football club in Kent is celebrating after securing a trip to Wembley Stadium for the first time in its history.Whitstable Town Football Club drew 0-0 against Hartpury University FC in the second leg of the Isuzu FA Vase semi-final on Sunday – progressing 2-0 on aggregate.Supporters have called the achievement "unbelievable" and said that reaching the final was a "dream come true".Whitstable Town manager, Jamie Coyle, said: "We're hoping to take as many fans as we possibly can. It's going to be one hell of a final."
Supporter Polly Burgess she hoped that abut 6,000 Whitstable Town fans would make the trip to Wembley."We're really pleased for the boys, for the fans, the coaches – the club deserves it," she said."It's going to be fantastic. If we can get a huge contingent up there, it will be amazing."Fellow fan Nathan Grant said the day of the semi-final second leg began "a bit nervy", but the atmosphere improved in the second half when the trip to the capital looked certain."I've got a sore throat and struggling to talk this morning after so much singing," he said."I'm very happy and relieved that it's over and we're going to Wembley."Whitstable always travel with a large amount of fans and they didn't let the town down."Whitstable Town will play AFC Whyteleafe in the final on 11 May.
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BBC News
12-05-2025
- BBC News
Dad says seeing his son score at Wembley was 'tremendous'
The father of one of Whitstable Town's FA Vase goal scorers said seeing his son hit the back of the net at Wembley Stadium was "absolutely tremendous".Harvey Smith brought the Kent side level with Surrey's AFC Whyteleafe in the 52nd minute before the Oystermen snatched a goal in extra time to win Paul Smith said: "I've seen him on the sideline, I made sure I was there. I gave him a hug."Eric Asare-Mensah, who watched his brother Jerald Aboagye lift the trophy for Whitstable, said: "It's a proud moment to see my brother out there finally achieving because it's a once in a lifetime experience to be out there on the national pitch." Mr Smith said it was a special moment to see his son play and score at Wembley as he had taken him there as a fan 16 years earlier with a family friend, who travelled down from Scotland to watch Sunday's match."It's fantastic seeing all the players, seeing the smiles on their face. It's well deserved," Mr Smith victory saw Whitstable lift their first FA Vase in what was their first appearance at Wembley."I'm well proud. They've achieved so much. They missed out on [promotion via] the play-offs, but they've won at Wembley," Mr Smith said. Mr Asare-Mensah said it was a great experience for Aboagye's nieces to see their uncle's "career-defining moment".Right back Aboagye came on in the 70th minute of the game for Whitstable Town."To witness it myself, I am so proud; very, very proud," said Mr Asare-Mensah."And to actually come home with the trophy, come on - what more do you need to say? "It's the icing on the cake to actually lift the trophy. It's incredible." He said the win had "put Whitstable on the map".Shermaine Davis, Aboagye's friend, said: "Jerald works so hard as well, he's super on it. Health, fitness, absolutely everything."So we know that today is the most amazing day for not just him, but for all of us, and for Whitstable."Jane Longhurst, whose son Matt was a coach in Whitstable's dugout, said the team had "done it for the town"."We've watched them through their ups and downs, their bad games, their good games, but this for little Whitstable Town is a massive thing," she added.
BBC News
11-05-2025
- BBC News
Whitstable beat Whyteleafe to win FA Vase
Whitstable Town came from behind to beat AFC Whyteleafe 2-1 to win the FA Vase at Wembley Bennett put Whyteleafe in front inside 20 minutes, calmly dinking the ball over Whitstable keeper Daniel Colmer after taking a pass from Craig Smith levelled for Whitstable early in the second half with a long-range shot which went right through Whyteleafe keeper George Oystermen completed their comeback when Ronald Sithole was able to find a moment of quality in the first half of extra time, firing into the roof of the net for the winning goal. This was the first time that Whitstable had won the FA Vase, their previous best finish in the competition being the fifth round in the 1996-97 season. Both teams were welcomed out in glorious sunshine, with forecasts predicting temperatures as high as 25C on Sunday at the national FA Vase features teams playing in steps 5 and 6 of the English National League system - Whitstable play in the Southern Counties East Football League and Whyteleafe in the Combined Counties Premier Division was Whyteleafe who opened the scoring 18 minutes into the game when Braham-Barrett picked up the ball on the left wing and drove forward before passing infield to Bennett, who chipped it over Colmer before wheeling off in came close to equalising just after the half-hour mark, Finn O'Mara heading narrowly over the bar from a corner later Bennett had a penalty appeal waved away after the forward showed smart footwork in the box and looked to break through for a shot but appeared to be bundled to the had another call for a penalty kick denied after a similar incident, but again nothing was given. Despite going into the interval a goal down, Whitstable took only seven minutes to find a second-half picked up the ball just outside the area in a central position and hit a shot which Hill failed to deal Watson had a great chance to retake the lead for Whyteleafe moments later, running through on goal but his effort was well saved by then managed to partly redeem his earlier mistake with 15 minutes remaining as he produced a fine save from close range to deny Whitstable substitute Robbie almost found a winner six minutes into added time, but Rodney Eruotor's stunning effort with his left foot thundered off the were denied by the woodwork in the first half of extra time, the ball crossed from the right and Sithole was at the back post waiting to tap it home, but his effort bounced off the inside of the upright and minutes later Sithole made the breakthrough, as he picked the ball up in the box, cut inside a defender, and fired his shot into the roof of the net with his full time the Whitstable players celebrated in the Wembley sunshine, hugging each other in relief before sprinting over to celebrate with their jubilant supporters.
BBC News
10-05-2025
- BBC News
Wembley trip comes after 'brilliant' time at Whitstable Town FC
Whitstable Town's player-manager says it is a "surreal feeling" to be heading to Wembley for the final of the FA Coyle, 41, told BBC Radio Kent on Friday everyone was really excited for the biggest game in the club's 135-year said it had been a "real positive season" with the players being "brilliant" and losing only once in 27 games towards the back end of the season."Just to see the town come together and see the excited faces in and around the town as well – it's been a brilliant couple of weeks," he added. The Oysters will take up to 10,000 fans with them to Wembley as they face Surrey's AFC Whyteleafe on his last season playing, Coyle said it would be "great to go out with a bang and a win at Wembley".He said: "I began playing in the park at five years old and dreaming of playing at my national stadium. "Anyone who plays football or loves football as a kid, you dream of that."For it to happen in my 25th season - I grew up in south London in a council estate, played for Crystal Palace, and been a bit of a journeyman."I've done the majority of the Kent clubs now. To finish it with representing Whitstable Town and being at Wembley is a dream come true for me." With a lot of youngsters in the team, he said there had been jokes at the club regarding those who were in their first year in senior football."Don't expect to be playing at Wembley every year after their first year in non-league," he Whitstable resident and frontman of ska band Madness, has taken on lead vocals on the club's new cup final song, while the author of the book behind the BBC series Whitstable Pearl, Julie Wassmer, said the trip to the capital would be "amazing".Wassmer, who moved to the town 26 years ago, said: "I know that we're not favourites, but I think that we can win and we're all going to be rooting for the team." 'Support has been fantastic' Chairman Steve Clayton said it was fantastic and a relief to make it through to the final."The support has been fantastic, not just from the fans but from local businesses, the community, schools have got behind us," he club had record breaking home crowds at the Belmont ground for the quarter final and semi final matches this Martin, club historian, said in terms of "capturing the imagination of the community and the town", Sunday's match "was the biggest".Whitstable take on AFC Whyteleafe at 12:15 BST on Sunday, with full coverage on BBC Radio Kent.
