He may not have been an Oysterman at the start of the season, but when Whitstable Town end their long season at Wembley on Sunday in the FA Vase Final, Finn O’Mara will be one of the first names on the team-sheet.
The defender is looking to end the season in style and win a trophy to top an amazing season for the men from the Belmont.
O’Mara went to the Belmont in September and since has been part of the side that is now chasing domestic glory after suffering domestic heartbreak twice.
We caught up with O’Mara at training before Whitstable’s big weekend and we reflected on the season thus far.
“We were a newly put together side at the start and didn’t make the best start to the League. But from there to where we are now is mad really!” he told us.
“All it really took was a run and we said that from the start, but to go on a twenty-five, twenty-six game unbeaten run really is something else and is massive. I think the more that we talk about it in the moment eases the pressure I think as we didn’t really talk about it until we got to the high teens and then only when Coylie (boss Jamie Coyle) urged us to the next one!
“We kept winning and then lost the Senior Trophy Final, but we were still unbeaten in the League even though we were playing every other day by then. It’s been an amazing run, but it won’t be worth anything if there’s nothing at the end of it!”, O’Mara admitted ruefully.
Whitstable missed out on the SCEFL play-off Final – losing to Fisher in the semi and O’Mara conceded, “I think we can learn from that defeat and the Senior Trophy one too! They were different teams and different set-ups, but I do think that we have learned from them in terms of how we approached the games and setting ourselves up. We won’t beat ourselves up about either game, it’s just good things to learn, and we are a good group!”
“Both defeats were hard to take – we didn’t turn up in the Final first half and then against Fisher, we were in front and almost cruising against a very good side… it was really frustrating as they scored with one of the last kicks of the game and then penalties.”
“I have worked with Coylie before and like the way he manages and if you like the people that’s half the battle. When you have to get business done, you get business done but they are genuine people off the pitch – really nice people! As a player you want to be in a team that is enjoyable to play in – if you can enjoy football and people want you to play for them, it’s a massive difference and plays a big part in your career!”
Looking forward to the weekend, O’Mara reflected on winning the Semi Final, where his goal (the second in the 2-0 first leg win) proved decisive.
“When it all happened and we had drawn the second leg, we were all sitting in the dressing room and honestly, I don’t think it sunk into any of us as individuals. Then when you see the responses from everyone on social media as see everything, and it’s brought the town of Whitstable together really – its mental, it really is.
“I went out in the town a couple of weeks ago with my other half and had people coming up to and recognising me as a player! I’m only a semi-professional footballer; I’m not a celebrity! For Whitstable, its massive…”
“I’ve never played there before but my family are all big Millwall fans, and I went to a play-off Final, against Scunthorpe, when Gary Alexander scored one of the best goals of my life – it was unbelievable!
“They got in the play-offs the next year, and I said to my Dad about going, and he said no, so we watched it in the pub, and they won again!”
“It is a really, really good club and is unbelievable behind the scenes from Steve the Chairman, Fran the Secretary, everything – it’s all so well run, and Coylie wants a project for the team, and this is the perfect place; a lovely surface to play on, training facilities, classrooms for the scholars, it’s what the club deserves as it’s a lovely club – now we have to get the trophy that it deserves.”