CHAIRMAN Rohan Haines reckons that his club’s show-stopping FA Vase adventure is just reward for the rebuilding job manager John Fisher undertook during his second spell at the Elms.

Fisher, whose first tenure at the Elms was between 2002 and 2007, regained the reins at Highworth in 2012 but following Dave Webb’s departure to Swindon Supermarine, as is so often the case in Hellenic League football, the Worthians chief was left with a depleted squad.

But Fisher, who guided a side to the Premier Division title in the 2004-2005 season, has put together a new-look team over the past three seasons and now commands a set of players two games away from a famous appearance at Wembley.

“I’m happy for Fish because when Dave Webb left to go to Swindon Supermarine, we had one player left at the club,” said Haines.

“After Fish left the first time, when I would go out with him he would say ‘if the Highworth job ever comes up, I want it’.

“You can see how much he’s enjoying this. There was a picture of him up at Tadcaster just a few minutes before the end and he did not look well but after the final whistle, he was all smiles.”

Over 1,000 advance tickets have already been sold for Saturday’s first leg semi-final showdown with Northern League North Shields and Haines is looking forward to another memorable day at the Elms this Saturday.

The Highworth chairman said: “We usually only get 80 to 100 fans in the ground on a Saturday.

“Usually, we’re happy to get through to the second round where you might play a local side or a team from somewhere nearby like Gloucestershire.

“We’ve always taken things with a pinch of salt but now you realise that we’ve got a chance.

“The town have gotten behind us and everyone’s taking an interest, like all of the youngsters at the club.”

The Elms will have a maximum attendance of 1,400 for Saturday’s North Shields clash and limited tickets will be available on the day.