Whitley Bay keeper Terry Burke revealed his retirement less than an hour after the final whistle at Wembley yesterday.
Burke was deservedly named man of the match in the final, in which he pulled off several outstanding saves, especially in the second half when Coalville were piling on the pressure in search of their second equaliser.
“I was 39 last Wednesday, and what a way to bow out after being named man of the match at Wembley!," he said “That was a really hard shift. To be honest, I don’t think we played that well although we worked hard enough. Coalville were very good, and I’m relieved that we’ve won.
“It was tough out on the field, and there was a lot of pressure on our defence, but we have the attitude that if we do our job at the back, then the lads up front will do theirs.
“It was by far the hardest game of the three we’ve had at Wembley. Coalville came out flying, and we looked like the team that was playing at Wembley for the first time, and not them.
“But at no point did I think we’d get beat, because I was confident that if the chances came along, then the strikers would take them. Chowie and Sparky (Lee Kerr) are lethal in front of goal, and so they proved.”
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