On Tuesday evening Walsall Football Club created a piece of history as they defeated fellow Sky Bet League 1 side Preston North End over two legs of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy, Northern Area Final.
The Saddlers, who took a two-goal lead into the Second Leg, held their opponents to a 0-0 draw at a packed Banks's Stadium and are now just weeks away from making their first appearance at Wembley Stadium, a feat they haven't achieved in the entirety of our national stadium's 91 year storied history.
The original Wembley Stadium opened in 1923, and after many decades of football from The FA Cup and England internationals, to the FA Trophy and FA Vase, was closed in 2000, and eventually demolished in 2003.
After much delay, and huge increase in cost, the 'New' Wembley was completed and handed over to the Football Association on 9th March 2007.
While the stadium had hosted football matches since the handover in March, the stadium was officially opened on Saturday 19th May, with the staging of the 2007 FA Cup Final.
Sadly, within the re-build timescale was the Saddlers' 2000/01 Division Two Play-Off final victory over Reading, which joined several other matches, including the FA Cup Final, in being held at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, which whilst being a tremendous stadium with fantastic views from all sides, it's just not Wembley, it doesn't have the history, the character, or the stories to tell.
The Final of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy, where the Saddlers will take on either Gillingham or Bristol City takes place at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, 22nd March.