Defender Paul Robinson has enjoyed the taste of success at Wembley in the past, and is eager to sample it once more with AFC Wimbledon on Monday.
In the 2010 League One play-off final against Swindon Town, Robinson realised every childhood dream by scoring the winning goal to send Millwall up to the Championship.
He admits he still gets a buzz from the memories and hopes he can recreate that feeling when Wimbledon take on Plymouth Argyle in the League Two play-off final.
“It was just the perfect day really. Scoring the winner and picking up a trophy at Wembley was every boy’s dream,” he said.
“We’ve all done that many a time in the back garden so to have lived that dream is incredible and one that I look back on that still gives me goosebumps now.
“One thing it has done is given me that hunger to go and play at Wembley again and to win so that will be the challenge waiting for me at Wembley on Monday.”
He will walk out at Wembley as one of the more experienced players in the Wimbledon camp, and said it would match his biggest achievement if they were to walk up the famous Wembley steps victorious.
“Everyone says that if you can win through the play-offs it’s the best way to go up so if we could that it would be incredible,” he added.
“For me personally I don’t think you can tire of that feeling of walking out at Wembley and trying to win a trophy.”
Roughly 25,000 AFC Wimbledon fans will take their seats inside Wembley to hopefully witness their side achieve their sixth promotion in their 14-year history.
With the football club set up by a large consortium of fans in 2002, the club is unique in the role the supporters play and Robinson wants to give back to those that stuck with it through thick and thin.
“The fans are the reason for this football club. They are this club really and it’s through their determination that the club is where they are,” he said.
“For them to be rewarded with a day out at probably the best stadium in world football will be remarkable and one that I hope they cherish.”
The central defender joined the Dons in 2015, but having lived in South London all his life, he admits the journey of the club was never far from his career.
“It’s an unbelievable journey and the way that this football club has gone from strength to strength over such a short period of time is fantastic and now it’s our time to be part of that journey,” he said.
“We’ve worked hard this season but we’re going to do our best to take the opportunity ahead of us.
“Being in South London we were all aware of the story and I played against the old Wimbledon, MK Dons and the new Wimbledon so I’d seen the journey from afar.
“That’s the challenge now for us and this is our time to try and continue the club on its journey and to keep climbing the leagues.”
Feature image courtesy of AFC Wimbledon TV, via Youtube, with thanks
