HIGHWORTH Town begins its 300-mile journey to Tyneside this morning with team, officials and supporters decamping to decide their Wembley fate.

The Worthians must pull back a 1-0 deficit from their FA Vase semi-final first leg encounter with North Shields, but they will be cheered all the way by a 150-strong contingent of fans.

Chairman Rohan Haines and the club committee has arranged for two coaches and a minibus to take as many supporters to the North East as possible.

North Shields has confirmed the match is a sell-out at Daren Persson Stadium, with 1,500 set to attend and away fans outnumbered 10 to one.

“I’m a bit nervous, but whatever will be, will be,” said Rohan. “We have done well so far.

“The attitude throughout this run has been great. We just have to keep them quiet in the first 10 or 15 minutes.

“We will have a celebratory drink in Newcastle whether we win or lose. This is a run that needs to be remembered.”

A number of fans will also be driving themselves, with one club sponsor, John Roberts, even flying up from Bristol today.

Highworth is sure to feel flat tomorrow, with no home match and most of the town huddling around their radios for live commentary of the clash.

“I have had people stopping me in the town now. One old lady said she had listened to last week’s match on the radio and thought it was great,” said Rohan.

“She said she was so pleased with what Highworth Town Football Club has done to the town in these last few weeks.

“From day one we have achieved far more than our expectations. What will be, will be. There is no pressure on any of our players.

"It will be unbelievable if we get to Wembley. The kids were coming and taking photos of the lads last week. They are part of the history of the club.

“They will go down as the FA Vase semi-final or even final team in our history.”

Fred Harman has become something of a talisman for the Red and Blacks.

At the age of 85, the Queens Avenue resident has not allowed his later years to block his own travels to follow his beloved Town, with his wife Cath, 76, by his side.

“I just want to get a win now. We want to get to Wembley. It was disappointing on Saturday when we got beat 1-0, but there you are,” he said.

“We do better in away games anyway. We’ve been all right on our travels. In most of the games we have won away. We are still in with a shout.

"I hope for Fraser and Rohan they achieve what they set out to do. It would be nice for them and nice for the town.

“It puts them on the map a little bit.

“We could’ve been going to Cornwall or up to the north. It was no problem really. We were determined to see it through to the bitter end.”