The Pitching In Southern League was bursting with pride on Saturday when JJ Lacey took centre stage at Wembley Stadium ahead of the Emirates FA Cup Final between Manchester City and Manchester United.
The Biggleswade Town hot-shot was crowned top scorer in the 2023/24 Emirates FA Cup with an impressive ten goals from six games in the competition to take the Mitre Golden Ball award, ahead of some esteemed company, including Manchester City’s Erling Haaland who was unable to pip him to the prize on the day.
The 25 year-old was able to watch the pre-match preparations from the tunnel area before walking the match ball out onto the pitch before kick-off as part of a day that he and his family will never forget.
“My family and I got picked up from home and taken to Wembley,” he told us. “I had to do various interviews and media bits both in the Royal Box and then down at pitch-side.
“During the warm-ups I was able to see things at close quarters by being in the tunnel area, which was fascinating, and then I walked the match ball out, which was something that I will never forget and it made me so proud.
“The atmosphere was absolutely unbelievable during the build-up and then I was able to join my family up in the stands to watch the game before I was presented with my trophy once it was confirmed that I was the winner and it’s something I will cherish.
“Being top scorer in the FA Cup is once-in-a-lifetime stuff; there are so many big names and games played in the competition from when it starts in the first week of August to the final at the end of May, so to outscore everyone is an amazing achievement and right up there with anything I've done so far in my career.
“It comes at the end of a memorable season for me and my club. Winning the Pitching In Southern League Division One Central title was the priority and we achieved it. We also wanted to decent FA Cup run and to make the fourth round qualifying was brilliant.
“We did it by having a top group of lads and management. The competition was fiercer than it has been for a while; everyone was capable of taking points off each other and there were still so many teams in contention for the title and play-off places going into the final month or so of the campaign.
“To take the title on the final day and contribute with a couple of goals was the perfect end to a season that I will remember for many years to come. It was richly deserved for all of the hard work and effort that we put in.
“I couldn’t have achieved anything without the support of my family. They have been behind me all of the way and to see the pride in their faces at the weekend meant the world to me.
“My dad has followed me everywhere. He even wanted to come to the Falklands when I got called up for England C, whereas my mum puts up with it and my brother still thinks he’s better than me!”
We congratulate JJ Lacey on his achievement and thank him for representing the Southern League so well at Saturday’s showpiece occasion.
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