Papa John’s Trophy Final 2021/22

Wembley Stadium! The setting for the Final of the Papa John’s Trophy between Rotherham United & Sutton United! Rotherham battling for promotion to the Championship whereas their opponents Sutton United are in their first season EVER in the Football League and are battling for the play offs in League 2.

My second ever visit to Wembley with the first one being an FA Trophy final between Mansfield Town & Darlington seeing Darlington score in the 120th minute leaving me and 15,000 other Mansfield fans feeling all as sick as each other… Will I be a bad luck charm for Rotherham today?

The Merry Miller has gambled and got me a ticket! And I am on the supporters coach from the New York Stadium along with Mrs Merry Miller! I’m looking forward to this one!!!! Into Sheffield train station for the 8:06am train into Rotherham Central and… It’s cancelled! Why didn’t I just drive? And now we wait…… The bus is due to leave the New York Stadium at 8:45 – 9am and here I am at Rotherham Central station… At 8:40am… RUN… Just in time and I am on the way to Wembley!! BOOM!

1 hour & 30 minutes down the M1 and it’s a quick stop off to stretch our legs and grab some grub. BBC Radio Sheffield’s Rob Staton is outside! Jack is off the coach and I’m following him! A short interview later and we have just made our debuts on BBC Radio Sheffield!! A big thank you to Rob Staton for that opportunity!

Back onto the M1 we go! 1 hour later and I can see that famous arch!! You know London is near when you can see it!!

12:30pm and we are parked up and on foot! And the atmosphere is building already!!!

Wembley looks very different from the last time I visited and it’s certainly in a good way! A lap of the ground and here is the Sutton United fan zone but where is the Rotherham one? We keep on walking… London Designer Outlet! A shopping mall next to the ground. Note to self: Do not bring Mum here on a match day or else we WILL miss kick off…

Onto Wembley Way now and here is The Merry Miller’s good friend Phil! And what a great hat that he and his friends are wearing!! “£10 to get into the Rotherham fan zone” he says… I’m certainly happy we’re not there then! Those hats are catching attention of the media here today as we walk down Wembley Way! Former Rotherham great Lee Frecklington has just been spotted by Jack and Hannah! Photo – Check!

Time to head towards the Stadium now! The first time that I ascend up the new steps and hopefully not the last time! The Wembley shop is nearby and in we go! A quick look around and back out we go. Up towards the top now and doesn’t Wembley Way look fantastic on a match day from up here!!? And so does the Bobby Moore statue!

We are finally outside our turnstile and it’s time to go in! £30 to watch this cup final! Not bad for a final! £25 for the supporters coach too! Still not too shabby for a final! I can’t help but get a quick glance of the ground! A FaceTime chat with my dad to show him what he’s missing here today! And £10 sent to me by him for a drink on what would’ve been my late Grandad’s 96th birthday! This £5.95 Budweiser is for you Grandad!!

Time rolls on and the Rotherham fans are getting excited now!!! The tension is building and debates on whether this is important or not are flowing. Would the players heads drop if they lost? Meaning they won’t go up? Would they rather just have promotion to the Championship instead of this? We all know what this means to Sutton! It should be a tough game for Rotherham this!

In we go for our seats and I have to say that Hannah has picked some good ones here!! Time rolls on and it’s time for 2 celebrity fans to deliver the match ball! We all know who Rotherham’s is! Mr Paul Chuckle of course! But what about Sutton’s? Tim Vine!! Who’d of thought that!? Sadly no one liners from Tim but it is now time for the game!!

Kick Off! “We love you Rotherham we do! OHHH Rotherham we love you!” 5 minutes in and Sutton come forward, it’s played into the box for Will Randall, Ollie Rathbone is there t clear for Rotherham… He mishits it and Randall manages to get a shot away… Side netting!

“Don’t take me home! Please don’t take me home! I just don’t wanna go to work! I wanna stay here! Drink all your beer! Please don’t please don’t take me home!” 13th minute and Sutton come again, it’s played into Will Randall in plenty of space, he beats his man and he’s in on goal here… He’s put it wide… Big chance that! He should’ve gone across the keeper for me there!

It certainly is a competitive game but Sutton look just the better of the 2 teams so far. 29th minute and Sutton have a corner, in it comes… All the way over to the left for Sutton to retrieve it, it’s played back into the middle, Richard Wood heads away but Sutton get it back again and they carry it out to the right wing, it’s crossed in again and it comes to Rotherham’s Michael Smith… That’s a poor touch from him and here’s Will Randall for Sutton, he plays it to Donovan Wilson in the box and he takes a touch and shoots… And he’s scored!! Great finish!! Sutton have the lead and have stunned the Rotherham faithful… Can they respond? 0-1!

“Na na na nanana naaaaa! Nanana naaaa! Sutton!” Sutton fans enjoying themselves now and why not!? 42 minutes on the clock and Rotherham lump it forward, Rotherham win it and it’s flicked on to Josh Kayode, he brings it under control and plays it back to Ben Wiles, he makes space and he goes for goal from 20 yards out… OH YES!!!!! It’s a brilliant strike!!! Rotherham are level!! What a goal!!! It’s the first time I’ve ever celebrated a goal at Wembley! And what a goal it is as well!! 1-1!

Rotherham looking good now and are coming forward again now on 43 minutes! Ollie rathbone carries it forward and he goes for goal from 30 yards out… Keeper saves! Into stoppage time in the first half and Rotherham come forward down the right, it’s played in towards Michael Smith on the volley!! Straight at the keeper! The Referee blows for half time with the score at 1-1.

Second half, 48 minutes now and Sutton come forward down the right flank with David Ajiboye, he plays it across low for Craig Eastmond to shoot… Blocked but he’s there for the rebound!! He’s done it!!! Sutton lead again!! Scenes in the other end! A clever finish the second time you have to admit! 1-2!!

“Yellows! Yellows!” Sutton fans sounding like the Mansfield fans now… 63 minutes gone and Rotherham have a corner, in it comes… Dealt with by Sutton but Rotherham have it back on halfway, it’s lumped back into the box… Sutton get a head to it and it’s loose on the right, Rotherham get there and cross, Michael Smith with the header… Over!

1 minute later and Rotherham come forward again, it comes to Ben Wiles just like the first half just outside the box and he shoots again… Deflected… Keeper gets there just! Close! 67th minute and Sutton come forward with Isaac Olaofe, he drives into the box and he shoots… Side netting! Some Sutton fans thought that was in…

78 minutes on the clock and Rotherham win the ball back in midfield and it’s played through to Freddie Ladapo and he’s in here! He gets into the box and the keeper comes out, he shoots… It’s saved! Big save there by the Sutton keeper but Ladapo has to score there… That could be costly! Just like what John Motson used to say on the old FIFA games!

81 minutes now and substitutions now for both teams and… A sutton fan has ran onto the pitch in a Yellow afro… And that is how to get a lifetime ban right there everyone! Silly behaviour! Sutton are looking really comfortable in the last 10 minutes here… Can Rotherham find that all important equaliser? The Sutton fans are getting excited now!

Into the 90th minute and Rotherham press forward, it’s chipped into the box and it falls to MICHAEL SMITH!!! OH! It’s blocked and out for a corner… So close! Should’ve been 2-2… But in comes the corner… Cleared by Sutton!

Rotherham not showing any signs of getting an equaliser here… The Sutton fans in the other end are ready to party and are all gathering on the steps near the front… 90+6 I make it on my watch and here comes one final charge perhaps from Rotherham? They play down the right and it’s played across towards Osei-Tutu and he’s got it in the box… It must be!!! IT IIIIIISSSSSSSSSSS!!!! I DON’T BELIEVE IT!!!!! ROTHERHAM FANS ARE IN DELIRIUM HERE!! What drama!!! It’s Tutu to make it 2-2!!! Out of nowhere, ROTHERHAM ARE LEVEL!!! Sutton were seconds from glory… 2-2!! What limbs that was!!!

The Referee blows for full time and it looks like we will be going to penalties after all… Wait… No we won’t! It will be extra time! How is your nerve!?

Extra time! 95th minute and Sutton have a corner, in it comes… It’s headed up… It comes for Sutton on the right of the box and it’s played back across, it comes to Harry Beautyman on the edge of the box to strike… OH! Just over!

1 minute later and here come Rotherham, it comes to Chiedozie Ogbene, 25 yards out and he goes for goal… AND HE’S FOUND IT!!!!! WHAT A GOAL!!!! ROTHERHAM LEAD FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE GAME!!! They really do only score CRACKERS at Wembley!!! Rotherham fans go crazy once again!! What a game this has been!? And it’s not over yet! 3-2!!

100 minutes now and Rotherham have a free kick on the corner of the box to the left side, it’s crossed in, the header comes on from Rotherham… It’s off the post… It’s somehow cleared by Sutton for a corner… In it comes… Sutton clear. 103 minutes now and Sutton play forward now, it’s played to Olaofe in the Rotherham box, he flicks it over Richard Wood and gets his shot away… Over! Half time in extra time sees Rotherham in front.

Second half, Rotherham looking the better of the 2 teams now. Have Sutton run out of steam? 111th minute and Rotherham have a corner, in it comes… Michael Ihiekwe with the header… YES!!! It’s there!!! And is that the goal that seals it for Rotherham!!!? 4-2!!

Play goes on and you have to say Sutton look dead on their feet now… Sutton fans piling out of the exits… “We can see you sneaking out!” 117 minutes now and Rotherham get into the box on the right, it’s played across… It falls to Michael Smith who takes a touch and gets a shot away… Not enough on it and it rolls wide…

“E I E I E I O!” Rotherham fans in high spirits now! Play goes on… And the Referee blows for full time!!! START SPREADING THE NEWS!!!! ROTHERHAM ARE THE CHAMPIONS!!! PAPA JOHN’S TROPHY 2022 CHAMPIONS!!! Hats off to Sutton for taking them all the way though!! Up goes the trophy!! And they can taste the Champagne now! My second visit to Wembley was a HAPPY ONE! Will I return here with Mansfield this season!?

FT: Rotherham United 4-2 Sutton United AET

Ratings

• Atmosphere: 9/10 – Cracking from both teams today!! Pretty difficult to get one going here when it’s a neutral venue… I hope it’s easier for an England game! But still great from both sides today!
• Build-Up: 7/10 – Pretty decent in all fairness! Not the most popular cup for football fans but I certainly was excited as the game drew nearer.
• Expense: 10/10 – Worth every penny! Especially when you get drama like that at the end!!
• Overall Experience: 10/10 – Loved it!! Great to meet a London Rotherham fan on the coach! A great game even for the neutral but I was delighted for Mr & Mrs Merry Miller more than anything today! One of the best of any of our days out today!!

36/40