CHARLIE Austin’s ‘barmy army’ have booked two luxury coaches for Swindon’s Wembley fixture versus Millwall and are willing to book more.
Some 112 people from Charlie’s home town of nearby Hungerford, will be piling into the coaches leaving from Hungerford Football Club, where Charlie played as a boy, at 9.30am next Saturday.
Organisers have already been given approval from the Victoria Inn, at Farnham Common, near Slough, to enjoy drinks before and after the match.
The group used the same pub on both the previous play-off matches some 20-years ago against Leicester and Sunderland.
Trevor Wainwright, a former policeman from Hungerford and life-long Town fan, said: “That pub used to be owned by a huge Swindon Town fan so we stopped there on both trips to Wembley.
“He is no longer around so we thought we would ring the pub up again this time and ask if we could use it again.
“The landlord was really accommodating and said he would be happy to have us when he heard the story and the pub’s significance.
“We are going to decorate it in white and red, hopefully it still carries lots of luck.”
Trevor, who still lives in the town – which is 20-miles away from Swindon – and watched Charlie grow up, said: “We are very proud of Charlie who many of our kids went to school with at Hungerford.
“We are a close knit community and all know Charlie well.
“The locals all have Wembley fever and we have already filled up two coaches from the town and we are thinking of running a third if there is more demand.
“If anyone from Swindon wants to drive to Hungerford and park their car at the ground we will take them and return them for £15.
“We have a great group of people on board and it would be an experience, I can tell you that.
“We have been thinking about getting a third bus because they’re available for rental, so if there is demand people can get in touch – the sooner the better.”
Another organiser, Graham Talmage, said he was “chuffed to the heart” about the team’s progression and Charlie’s national press acclaim during his “fairytale season”.
Anyone interested should contact Trevor Wainwright on 01488 680794 or 07764 368504 or email trevor.wainwright@uk.rsagroup. com.
l Stephenie Tully from Stratton who was stranded after being told by countless bus companies that they were full up has now been given eight seats on Trevor’s bus and has thanked the Adver for its help.
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