THE hallowed turf at Wembley will come under the critical inspection of Shawbridge groundsman Keith Lord long before his team step out on it!

For dedicated Keith will be among the crowd waiting to greet Clitheroe FC as they make their debut beneath the twin towers tomorrow in the FA Vase final.

Keith's long association with the club began when his father Arthur used to take him as a child and the ties are still as strong as ever even though Keith is coming up to his 65th birthday!

Mr Lord senior had connections with the little town team stretching over 54 years.

He was chairman and "general dogsbody" and loved every minute of it.

Keith grew up with his father's enthusiasm and one day, around 1955, he began his own official involvement with the club. He said: "The team was playing at Nelson with no physio when one of the lads was injured.

"I stepped in and treated him, even though I had no real idea what I was doing.

"When I got home my brother, who was an ambulanceman, went mad and said I had better go and get some training with the St John Ambulance if I wanted to carry on.

"I did and stayed with the St John brigade for 19 years."

Keith has also been chairman and vice-chairman of the club and chairman of the supporters' club.

And, for the last 20 years or so, as well as everything else, he has been looking after the pitch.

A self-employed painter and decorator, Keith finds that he spends as much time at Shawbridge as he does working. He said: "I go down every morning at 7.30 to check the club house and grounds. Sometimes I do some work on the pitch and others it's just a matter of checking security.

"My wife Peggy is very patient. She has put up with all this for 40 years or so and she will be coming down to Wembley to watch the game."

Keith will be travelling with the team and he already has his own ideas about how the game is going to go.

He said: "My prediction for the score is 2-0, to Clitheroe of course!

"It is going to be the proudest day of my life, whatever the result.

"We have got to Wembley and I can't wait to see the team playing their hearts out there."

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