A heavy 4-0 defeat has done nothing to spoil a Swindon football team's preparations for Wembley stadium's farewell.
The Swindon Irish Nomads will take on the London-based No-Names in the final game to be played at the national stadium on Friday. Shortly after the final whistle, redevelopment work will start to transform the stadium.
The Nomads will be led out by Stratton St Margaret's James Mitchell. The 36-year-old won a competition on national radio, which offered two teams the opportunity to tread the hallowed turf one last time.
Having enjoyed a training session led by former Swindon Town boss Jim Quinn, the Nomads put their skills into practice against a top Saturday League side.
James said: "We played Fusion and lost 4-0. They are a very good side so I wasn't really disappointed. In fact I was expecting a much heavier defeat."
The 14 members of the Nomads squad will be roared on by 140 supporters.
In true cup final tradition, the team will travel to London the day before the game, staying in the plush surroundings of the Wembley Hilton.
The Nomads will certainly be dressed for the occasion. The team blazers are being sponsored by Swindon-based M4 Van Centre, part of the Tom Gallagher Group.
Darren Tompkins, group general manager, said: "This is great for Swindon. We just wanted to show our support for the team."
Those making the trip to Wembley face an early start. The two supporters coaches will leave the County Ground at 6.30am on Friday.
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