Royston is forced to sit out the big day

"I sat in my car unable to move and I said to myself, 'I am going to miss the Sheffield Wednesday match'," he said.

The chief steward and faithful City stalwart missed Whites' glory day in the worst possible circumstances - lying flat on his back in a hospital bed following a serious car accident.

"While it was all happening at Hillsborough, all I could see was the ceiling above my bed.

"But I must admit, someone did smuggle an illegal mobile phone into the ward and popped it under my pillow, so I could get text updates on how it was going."

Royston was on his way to the Old Sarum ground to pick up his matchday tickets when the accident happened.

He had been excited about the occasion ever since the amazing cup draw was made.

"The club takes up a lot of my time and energy. This weekend was going to be the icing on the cake for me," he said.

As well as dealing with his own disappointment, the committee member, who takes charge of the club's ball boys and girls, had spent the week organising a special mini-bus to take his young charges to Sheffield - intent on giving them a day to remember as a reward for all their hard work.

"They are out there in all weathers," he said. "They deserve a treat."

In the event, the youngsters had to hit the road to Hillsborough without him.

So did Royston's two sons, who have been regaling him with second-hand stories of the highlights of Hillsborough ever since.

"They came back buzzing. They haven't stopped talking about it yet," he laughed.

Now resting at home nursing an assortment of cracked, squashed and wedged vertebrae, the man who travels everywhere the club goes and has not missed a match in two years, will have no choice but to forgo the next few City games.

"But," he said with determination, "I will definitely be better by the time the boys are away to Eastleigh.

"I'm looking forward to it already."