Former Coventry City goalkeeper Chris Kirkland is delighted seeing the Sky Blues reach the Championship playoff final.
Coventry defeated Middlesbrough to set up a special Wembley final against Luton Town.
Kirkland told BBC Sport: “I was very lucky. From an early age I had brilliant role models, not just football wise but as people. Gordon Strachan gave me my debut, Jim Blyth who was a goalie coach I was very close to him.
“Dion Dublin, Paul Williams you could keep going the dressing room was special. But Steve Ogrizovic for me was the biggest, Coventry legend. Seeing the way he conducted himself, he trained me when I was 15. When I signed for the youth team at 16, to see him day in day out the way he committed himself, the way he trained, the hardest working trainer I have ever trained with. The way he spoke to people as well and the way he got respect.”
Former Liverpool keeper Kirkland also was asked what it would be like for the likes of Kevin de Bruyne to play at Kenilworth Road if Luton beat Coventry.
“This is what it is all about, old school stadiums. I used to love going to Fratton Park and there were only 17,000 there but one of the best atmospheres you will play at. It’s the same with Kenilworth Road.
“If they do go up and they do beat Coventry, it is a tough, tough place to go. But let’s not think about that. What we do have to think about is both teams five years ago both in League Two and if you said to them them ‘in five years you have one game to get into the Premier League’ they probably would have laughed at you.
“That is why we love football. Football are where dreams are made and the unexpected happens. I hope Coventry get there but Luton have done an incredible job as well. They’ve been through a lot of tough times like a lot of the lower league teams. When you step out of the limelight and you go down the leagues it is tough. Not just on the club but the fans. They have paid great money, the Coventry fans are always travelled well and they will pack Wembley out – there will be 40,000 at Wembley I would have thought. It is a marvellous spectacle with huge pressure but no team is there yet.”
