Wembley-bound non-league captain juggles day job and FA Vase final in 2026

Jay Lovell will captain Cockfosters in the FA Vase final at Wembley on Sunday, skipping his usual engineering duties at the stadium.

Unlikely Wembley milestone Jay Lovell, a 33-year-old defender from Cockfosters, will join Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney in a rare group by leading a team onto the Wembley pitch. His club faces AFC Stoneham in the FA Vase final on Sunday, marking his first-ever appearance at the national stadium. Lovell has spent over 15 years playing non-league football while working as an escalator engineer in Hertfordshire. ## From engineer to captain As an engineer, Lovell normally reports to Wembley on event days to handle escalator maintenance and upgrades. His final duties at the stadium were postponed so he could captain Cockfosters in the showpiece match. Cockfosters defeated Punjab United 3-1 on aggregate in the semifinals last month to secure their place. His employer has playfully teased him about taking time off to play, with his boss joking about a two-hour break for football. ## Lottery-like dream fulfilled Lovell recalls walking around Wembley before last year's FA Vase final and feeling the odds of playing there were like winning the lottery. He admits to fantasizing about the moment even though he never believed it would happen. The defender describes the experience as emotional, having already worked at the stadium and visualized this scenario countless times. Despite the surreal feeling, he remains focused on the upcoming match on May 17. ## Love for the game drives efforts Cockfosters have played over 60 games this season across all competitions, including 11 matches between April 4 and May 4. The team competes in the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division, far below the Conference South level in resources and recovery facilities. Lovell highlights the demanding schedule, including games played in harsh conditions like minus 1 degree Celsius in December. He reflects on the sacrifices made for football, emphasizing how the journey led him to this point at Wembley. ## Pinnacle of a non-league career Regardless of the match outcome, Lovell considers reaching Wembley the ultimate achievement. He believes nothing can surpass this moment, calling it the pinnacle of his non-league football journey. All teammates and even his bosses will be in the stands cheering him on as he aims to lift the FA Vase for Cockfosters. The final represents a historic chance to etch his name into the club's history books.