Alfie Potter will not be short of fans at Wembley tomorrow.
The right winger, who often makes a telling impact when coming off the bench, has already played in one big match – for Havant & Waterlooville at Liverpool in the 2008 FA Cup fourth round.
He scored that day, stunning the Anfield crowd who were expecting a comfortable home win, by putting the part-timers 2-1 ahead, although Liverpool hit back to win 5-2.
Asked if he’ll have many friends and family at the play-off final against York, he replied: “Yes. It’s not far from where I live so there’ll be a lot of people there.
“I took 72 friends and family to Liverpool, and there’s going to be more than that at Wembley.”
Potter, on a season-long loan to Oxford from Peterborough, lives in Islington, north London – “just 20 minutes from Wembley”, he says.
And if he could play a part in getting Oxford back into the Football League, it would cap a fantastic finish to a season which has had plenty of ups and downs.
He was sidelined for more than two months with debilitating glandular fever.
He faced York City at the Kassam Stadium, but not in the return.
“I came on at half-time in the first game of the season, but I was ill when we played up there, so I’ve not seen too much of them,” he said.
“They’re a strong team, but we’ve just got to concentrate on everything the coaching staff and manager say, and get everything right.”
United are blessed by exciting, attacking players and, as Potter stresses, each brings something different to the table.
“All the front players have different things to offer, and whoever starts and whoever comes on, is going to make a difference,” he said.
“But I think we’ve got exciting players throughout the side. Everyone will make a difference.”
Potter sums up the mood of excitement, but a steely resolve to win the match.
“It’s going to be a massive game and it’s going to be a great occasion for the players.
“But everyone’s also really determined and working hard in training,” he said.
The form going into the final has been good, but United’s players are well aware they need to have no complacency, and graft hard.
“We had a little setback in not winning the league, everyone was disappointed at that,” Potter said. “But everyone has got their heads down and we’ve come into form at a good time, so it should be a good game.
“But we know we need to produce. I don’t think anyone’s going to rest on their laurels after the Rushden performance.”
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