Solihull fans 'in dreamland' for first Wembley trip

Fan Dean Smith urged people who may be supporters of other Midlands clubs to also go to the Wembley final

Solihull Moors football fans say they are "in dreamland", after the side booked their first-ever trip to Wembley.

Winning 2-1 at Bromley in the FA Trophy semi-final on Saturday saw them reach the final on 11 May, when they face Gateshead.

The Moors could also play at Wembley the previous weekend, in the National League play-off final for a place in the Football League (EFL).

Dean Smith, from the club's supporters association, said Solihull had got "fans and players and the owners mixing together and you can't bottle that up really".

It was "just a lovely community club" and the atmosphere was "absolutely incredible" on Saturday.

"We had fans kind of singing, everybody jumping around. Some of the players who couldn't play who had been injured were in the crowd with us," Mr Smith said.

'Stronger on the road'

He said he has already booked hotels ahead of the Wembley trip and said he was going to "make a weekend of it", travelling on the Friday with friends.

"It's great for fans of the club that have stuck with us through thick and thin," he continued.

"We've got fans of the club that were Moor Green fans or Solihull Borough fans before the merger. It means so much to people like that."

The supporter said he was confident of winning, given the work by manager Andy Whing and the backroom staff.

"We've proved that when we're on the road, we're probably stronger in some ways than we are at the ARMCO (home stadium).

"We're all in dreamland... so, so excited for the final, you wouldn't believe it."

The Moors will be at Wembley on 11 May and could also play there in the National League play-off final

Another fan Ben Crawshaw, said: "Whether we win or not is neither here nor there, it's a historical moment in itself. [But] it'd be nice to win it.

"[It's] part of the excitement planning the day and enjoying the day."

Ben Crawshaw (right) said the club had been making strides over a decade

However, he would "definitely" prefer coming out on top in the play-off final and reaching the EFL, than winning the FA Trophy.

The Moors are currently fifth in the non-league National League, with the teams who finish between second and seventh going on to feature in the play-offs. Solihull were beaten in the final by Grimsby Town two years ago.

Mr Crawshaw said: "We've been making strides the last 10 years, bit by bit.

"We haven't been spending lots. For us to compete in the league would be remarkable."