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FA Cup final: Diary of a special day

Aaron Ramsey scores in the FA Cup Final

The FA Cup final turned out to be another glorious chapter in Arsenal's rich history - but what really went on behind the scenes, away from the cameras? Reporter Rob Kelly recalls a dramatic day - both on and off the pitch - as the Gunners ended their nine-year wait for a trophy.

6.25am - A rarity as I'm woken by nervous excitement rather than my eight-month old son. After a fruitless attempt to put the final out of my mind and get back to sleep, I do what any father would do and immediately dress Charlie in his Arsenal babygro. He laughs, I nearly vomit with nerves.

8am - Anxiety soon turns to confidence as me and my colleagues upload fresh FA Cup final content to Arsenal.com, Twitter and Facebook. The players have spoken about the final with an assurance all week, they seem to really believe it's their time.

11.30am - Frankly, I'm a mess. I'm veering between complete confidence and utter terror at what might happen. I get into my Arsenal suit and immediately spill tea down my club tie. That doesn't bode well. I just want somebody to tell me it'll be OK...

 

Wembley Way was already lively at 2pm

Wembley Way was already lively at 2pm

 

1.45pm - I arrive at Wembley Park station some three hours before kick off, and Wembley Way is already teeming with supporters. Bands are belting out songs, while entertainers and face painters entertain the hordes and TV channels desperately try to grab interviews with anyone who looks sober. It doesn't appear to be as easy as it sounds...

2pm - The press lounge it is already filling up quickly, with some of the biggest names in the written press in position early. Former Cardiff manager Malky Mackay is also there, seen enjoying a steak and ale pie while there's a frisson of excitement when Arsenal legend Robert Pires makes an appearance.

 

The TV crews are in position at pitchside early

The TV crews are in position at pitchside early

 

3.30pm - The press lounge is now a hive of activity as rumours start to come through that Lukasz Fabianski will start the final, with no place for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in the squad. Within 15 minutes, they have proven to be true as we get to work starting our live text comentary, live tweets and updating the website. The nerves are all but gone by now, and excitement is the prevelant emotion. This is going to be fantastic.

4.45pm - After a spectacular pre-match show involving pyrotechnics, dancers and the Prodigy's 'Breathe', we're nearly ready for kick off. Meanwhile, Ian Wright takes up his position pitchside with BT Sport and gets a huge roar and chant of 'Ian Wright, Wright, Wright' from the red hordes in the stands. The atmosphere is as good as anything I have ever experienced.

5pm - Disaster. Not 30 seconds after kick off and the entire wifi network at Wembley Stadium has gone down. Something of a problem if you're live tweeting the game, and also doing live updates on Arsenal.com... it's panic stations out there, with journalists surrounding the Wembley staff like they're referees. This isn't good - what must those who can't see the game and are relying on us to tweet it think?

5.03pm - Disaster, part two. Hull take an early lead as James Chester prods past Lukasz Fabianski. Still no sign of the wifi making an appareance.

5.09pm - This really is a disaster now as Curtis Davies makes it 2-0 to Hull. How? Why? Headlines are being written all around us in the press box. Well, at least they would have been if the wifi wasn't still down. I'm sweating profusely.

 

 

5.17pm - YESSSSS! Santi scores an absolute screamer and suddenly things start to look better again. We're stationed almost exactly behind the free kick, the perfect view to see it fly into the top corner. Cue highly inappropriate celebrations and roars from the Arsenal section of the press bench - completely against all press box etiquette...

5.20pm - With no wifi at Wembley, we've drafted in someone at Emirates Stadium to update the live feed and Twitter from there. Not perfect, but it's the best we can do in the circumstances...

5.43pm - The wifi is back! Hallelujah! But no, it only for two minutes. Then it shuffles off again.

5.58pm - We're back online, and this time it really is all sorted. Now we just need Arsenal to turn this around...

6.27pm - IT'S IN! Laurent Koscielny swivels and knocks the ball over the line to spark incredible scenes in the Arsenal end, right beside us. Tweeting and doing live updates can be problematic at times like these, when you're shaking with the adrenaline and excitement of the moment. Apologies for any garbled updates you may have read.

 

Rambooooo!!!

Rambooooo

 

7.50pm- I'm still shaking - Arsenal have won the FA Cup after Aaron Ramey's beautifully-worked goal. The roar from the Arsenal end at the final whistle will live with me for a long, long time. The 'FA Cup winners' graphic we tweet on the final whistle is retweeted 4,000 times in the space of about five minutes. It is mayhem out there, with Poldi and Mikel Arteta wrestling Gunnersaurus to the ground, the German then drenching Arsene Wenger with champagne and the squad then giving the manager the bumps.

8.05pm - An understandably downhearted Steve Bruce comes in to do his post-match press conference. He bemoans a few decisions, but hails Cazorla’s “wonderful” goal and praises Wenger as a top-class manager, and Arsenal a "top-class team”. 

 

The boss does his press conference

The boss does his press conference

 

8.50pm - The boss strides into the press conference room, changed after his drenching, and receives a round of applause from the waiting journalists. He hails his side's character and spirit, and admits this FA Cup win is perhaps his most important. After a five-minute grilling, followed by a short briefing for the Monday papers, he's leaves - again to another round of applause.

10.30pm - After a manic few hours of transcribing interviews, uploading videos and writing stories, we're kicked out of the Wembley press room. Tired, but jubilant. Arsenal fans are still all over Wembley Way, working their way through the full repertoire of songs. It's been a simply unforgettable day.

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