Hartlepool United favourite aiming to guide Spennymoor Town to Wembley

Former Hartlepool United player and manager Graeme Lee has revealed his pride at leading Spennymoor Town to within 90 minutes of a place in the FA Trophy Final.

Lee, who made over 220 appearances over two spells with Pools and returned to manage the club during the 2021/22 season, was named as Moors boss in January last year and guided his new side to within touching distance of the National League North play-offs after stunning run of form during the final weeks of the season.

After missing out on a top seven spot by just one point, the momentum was taken into the current season and there are high hopes Spenny can keep their promotion dreams alive by going one better in their play-off push over the final weeks of the season. However, it is the FA Trophy that is their sole focus this weekend as Lee takes his side to National League side Rochdale knowing a win would help the Moors secure only a second ever visit to Wembley.

After seeing off the likes of South Shields and Alfreton Town in the early rounds of the Trophy, Lee’s men have shocked two of Pools’ National League rivals in the last two rounds by seeing off Boston United and Sutton United to reach the last four. A third win over higher level opposition would secure a Wembley date in May - and Lee believes it would be ‘an unbelievable achievement’ if his players can cause another shock.

He told The Mail: “The whole town, the people, friends from Middlesbrough, it’s amazing to see how many are getting behind us down there. It’s an achievement to get to the semi-final - but in all honesty it’s not the achievement we want really. We want to go all of the way and for this club to get to Wembley would be absolutely amazing.

“It’s nice as a player to be on that pitch because you’re there with your mates - but it’s different as a manager because you are looking after your lads, your team. We have to take great pride in the run we have been on because we have beaten some very good sides. I’ve got people like (Ian) Clarky and Dan Wilson alongside me and I’ve known Clarky for many, many moons. He’s an organised, trustworthy man and he does excellent for us. Starting at Marske and then coming here has been some ride but what we do works for us. To get there, for all of us, would be an unbelievable achievement and something we can all be proud of as a club.”

The form of striker and club legend Glen Taylor will give Lee further belief his side can dispatch another National League club and secure their place under the famous Wembley arch.

Taylor has plundered his way to over 200 goals over two spells with the Moors and secured his place as their all-time record goalscorer when he found the net in a 2-1 win against Kettering Town in March 2022. Despite heading towards what many may consider to be the twilight of his goal-laden career, the former Ashington striker continues to shine and he showed he has no signs of stopping after following up a two-goal display in the quarter-final win at Sutton with a hat-trick in a 3-2 league win against Radcliffe.

The striker is relishing the prospect of testing himself against opposition from the top tier of the non-league game once again on Saturday afternoon and believes the pressure will be off his own side as they look to secure a place in the history books.

He said: “This club hasn’t been to Wembley in a good few years, the FA Vase was the last time we were there and that was 11 years ago because I left that year and I didn’t get to experience it. It would be lovely to experience Wembley but we know we have a huge game ahead of us. I know they aren’t in great form but going away to a team from the league above is going to be difficult.

“But we know, as we have gone on this season, we know the level we have to reach to compete as we did at Sutton and against Boston. Playing away takes the pressure off us and it will be a big reward to win it so we will be ready for it. We won’t fear them, we will just go without any pressure and play our game how we can. If everyone turns up on the day and does their bit, we definitely have enough to beat them.”

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