From Hard Times to the big game for Whitley Bay

May 10 2009 by Steve Brown, Sunday Sun

“So you’ve really got to make sure you’re right for the game on the day and make the most of the opportunity.”

Opportunity. Moore had a couple, at Newcastle in his youth and at Darlington this very season. Neither took a chance on him. Now both are staring at different faces of oblivion, while he prepares to play at the home of football. But no bitterness lingers.

“I don’t feel like I have a point to prove,” he said.

“You’ve just missed out on those opportunities that other people get, so you appreciate it a bit more because if you’d got through and made it, and not had any knock-backs, you’d just think that’s normal.

“But when you’ve been knocked back you really appreciate games like this.

“It’s massive. You spend all your cold, winter Wednesday nights playing all over the North in Dickensian surroundings, so it’ll be a nice change at Wembley.

“I don’t want to go to the stadium before the day of the game, so I can really appreciate what it’s about.

“I’ve been to the old Wembley but not the new one, so I can’t wait.

“Once that whistle goes, it’s 11 versus 11, on a green pitch, two sets of goalposts...”

Ah Chrissy, you were doing so well.