ONE boyhood Exiles' fan will travel all the way from his home in Austrialia to live out his dream of seeing his beloved side step out at the home of football.

Although Geoff Heward, 65, now lives more than 9,000 miles away, he never lost the love for the home side he first discovered as an eight-year-old boy.

As County secured their first trip to Wembley, following their semi-final win against Wealdstone, it looked like the former Newport High pupil who left the city in 1970, was going to miss out.

That was until his wife Ann, and two daughters, Kerin, 40 and Sarah, 37, stepped in.

On a trip up the coast to Perth, from their home in Albany, to celebrate their 42nd wedding anniversary, his wife presented him with a card.

"It said 'This entitles you to one trip to see Newport County at Wembley'," Mr Heward, who is staying with his sister Margaret Wigmore in St Julian's said.

"My wife is a school teacher and she had recently broken her pencil case, so my gift was a new one of those. It was a nice one but I'm slightly worried about finding a suitable gift in return."

The former Durham Road Primary School pupil will be heading to Wembley with friend of 50 years Ron Black, who still lives on Richmond Road where they first met.

"It will be a very proud day to see County at Wembley," he added.

And Mr Heward says the 29-hour trip from Australia is well worth it, win, lose or draw.