FA Trophy final: Wrexham's Christian Dibble aiming to emulate dad Andy's Wembley heroics

  • By Rob Phillips
  • BBC Sport Wales football correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption,

Christian Dibble joined Wrexham in June 2017 having began his professional career at Bury

FA Trophy Final: Wrexham v Bromley

Venue: Wembley Stadium Date: Sunday, 22 May Kick-off: 16:15 BST

Coverage: Live commentary on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, BBC Radio London, BBC Sport online. Match report on the BBC Sport website and app.

Peter Schmeichel and son Kasper have done it. Now goalkeeper Christian Dibble will be looking to follow in the footsteps of his father Andy when Wrexham head to Wembley on Sunday.

Leicester captain Kasper had a tough act to follow when he won the FA Cup with the Foxes last season to emulate his dad Peter, who won the trophy three times.

Wrexham stopper Christian will look to tread the hallowed turf just as successfully in Sunday's FA Trophy Final - 34 years after his father Andy was a hero for Luton Town in the 1988 League Cup final.

Dibble senior, a Wales international, saved a Nigel Winterburn penalty and was the man of the match as the Hatters shocked hot favourites Arsenal 3-2 to lift their first major trophy.

Son Christian wasn't even born then, but admitted: "He's made me watch it a few times on the internet and You Tube.

"I think that was one of the best footballing moments of his career especially as Luton were underdogs. He still lives off that moment, he still has a picture in his room of that penalty save.

"To save a penalty and do all the same things he did would be great. But I think he is just wanting me to go out there, hopefully help the team and get a win for Wrexham."

Fittingly dad Andy, who himself made more than 80 appearances for Wrexham, will be at Wembley for the non-League showpiece occasion.

No doubt memories will flood back to the day when he stepped in as a replacement for Les Sealey and write himself into the Luton history books.

Christian, 28, has also stepped up from reserve, replacing the injured Rob Lainton for the run-in to Wrexham's campaign.

Now he hopes a first trip to Wembley as a player will be another step on a journey which he hopes will end early in June with promotion back to the Football League for the club owned by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

Wrexham's 3-0 defeat at Dagenham and Redbridge last Sunday blew any chance of automatic promotion from the National League as Stockport took the title.

Image source, Rex Features

Image caption,

Andy Dibble (centre) celebrates Luton Town's League Cup win in 1998 with team mates Steve Foster and Brian Stein.

But their second placed finish - and a resulting home tie with either Notts County or Grimsby - means promotion is still a possibility via the play-offs.

Dibble said: "its never easy losing a football game and we know what was at stake. If Stockport had slipped up we could have won the league with a win. But that did not happen, Stockport won and now it's a case of getting our heads up and moving on.

"I think genuinely the lads are excited to be playing at Wembley, to put things right and have another game before that play-off game.

"We are all excited to be playing at Wembley and have the chance to win a trophy. We could end up winning two.

"We are going to go in with cool heads and do what we did previously until Dagenham, hopefully we will be fine."

Dibble is thrilled at the prospect of playing under the famous Wembley arch for the first time. "It's every footballer's dream to play at Wembley on the biggest stage in England.

"You see the top players in the world playing there and you are going to get your chance to go and have a bash at it."

He has been there, but only as a fan of his beloved Manchester City. He proudly boasts all his family are supporters of the blue team in Manchester.

Image source, Huw Evans picture agency

Image caption,

Andy Dibble won three senior caps for Wales between 1986 and 1989

Christian was introduced to Manchester City as a babe in arms by Andy who made more than 100 appearances for them. Of course, Pep Guardiola's men will be looking to lift Premier League title while he is seeking silverware at Wembley.

As the longest serving player at Wrexham, the Reds stopper has witnessed a transformation at the Racecourse since the arrival of the Hollywood owners.

He describes the changes as "absolutely unbelievable" and says Reynolds and McElhenney have been particularly good to him since he took over as the goalkeeper mainstay following the injury to Lainton.

Dibble junior says he has "never seen a bunch of lads want it so much" and is relishing a potentially unforgettable end to the campaign.

He also knows a victory on Sunday will be a real boost to his dad, whose impending departure from the position of Cardiff City goalkeeping coach, has shocked many Bluebirds fans.

"He is devastated about what happened at Cardiff," Christian said.

"He is Cardiff through and through, he started his career there. These things happen in football, players come and go, it's one of those things.

"He will pick himself back up but he will be chuffed to bits (if Wrexham win). He tried to lie to me and say he is not coming, but he had to tell me he will be there.

"I hope to think he will be proud of me and hopefully we will look forward to a good day."