ALAN LEE aims to follow in the footsteps of his friend Brian O’Driscoll by making it a good day at Blackrock tomorrow.
The pair were classmates at the renowned Dublin school, and still keep in touch.
Ireland rugby ace O’Driscoll was a star performer as Leinster landed their third Heineken Cup in four years by crushing Ulster at Twickenham last Saturday.
A few miles to the North at Wembley, Lee, himself a 10-times capped Republic international, will aim to help Town clinch promotion to the Championship at the expense of League I play-off final foes Sheffield United.
The striker has already broken the hearts of one set of fans from the steel city, scoring as Crystal Palace relegated Sheffield Wednesday to League I two years ago.
Now the rugged 33-year-old who so often makes an impact when coming off the bench, aims to help blunt the Blades and repeat the League I promotion success he enjoyed with Rotherham in 2004, when Town won the League II play-off final against Mansfield.
That success under Ronnie Moore was special, not least because Lee notched the promotion- clinching goal against Brentford at Millmoor.
And it helped the former Aston Villa and Burnley player win an £850,000 move to Cardiff (he later played for Ipswich before switching to Palace in 2008 and Town in August 2010).
But the likeable Galway man admits the Wembley factor would make a Town triumph sweeter still.
“I’ve only been the once, as a spectator when I was playing for Palace, but I was blown away by the place,” said Lee, who also counts Daniel Ryan, guitarist with top Irish band The Thrills, among his social circle.
“It was one of the early England games, and while the match itself wasn’t up to much, the stadium was superb.
“There’s a real atmosphere about the place, a touch of quality, and underneath the stands, it looks more like a shopping mall than a stadium, so at least you can see where some of those millions went!
“Having the chance to be involved in a game there is something special, and there’s been a real buzz about the place since we got past MK Dons.”
Lee says Town should take heart from both legs of a semi they won 3-2 on aggregate ahead of their clash with the Blades, who finished a place and nine points above Town in the final table and got the better of Stevenage to reach Wembley.
“I thought that in the first leg and for much of the second half of the second leg, we looked a real force,” added Lee.
“Hopefully we can also take on board the lessons from last year’s final defeat by Peterborough and, while we know Sheffield United will give us a real test, we have every chance.
“Huddersfield are a special club and it would mean absolutely everything to get us up. What happened last year was heart-breaking and the pain we went through was massive.
“But I feel we all learned so much and I think I speak for us all when I say we can’t go through that again. It would be great if I could play my part, too.
“Team selection is all down to the gaffer, obviously, and I’m just trying my best to get a place in the squad.
“If it doesn’t happen, I’ll still play a part by supporting the lads, and the team unity we have here could be a very important factor.”
