A FATHER will make a 5,000-mile round trip this weekend to see his goalkeeper son play at Wembley.

Oil rig worker Scott Nixon has spent weeks battling bureaucracy in Azerbaijan in order to get the proper clearances needed to see his son Jordan represent West Auckland in the FA Vase final on Saturday (May 10).

Mr Nixon, who is midway through a month-long shift, has had to apply for special visas to permit him to travel and will have 48 hours in the UK before he has to return to work.

But his wife Barbara Nixon said he would not have wanted to miss their 20-year-old son’s Wembley appearance for anything.

She said: “Scott and I have supported Jordan all the way with his football and will be the proudest parents ever on Saturday when we see him come out on the pitch, I will be in tears for most of the day.

“It’s been quite hectic organising everything but there is no way Scott would have missed the game, all we need now is for the weather to be fine on Friday morning so he can leave Azerbaijan alright.

“For Jordan, of all the people that will be there in the stadium the one person he would want to see more than anyone is his father.”

FA Vase fever has taken over Mrs Nixon’s cafe, the Quaint and Quirky Tearoom in Stockton High Street, in the run up to the final.

She and business partner Sheri Oliver have decorated the shop in West colours and the staff are all wearing shirts loaned by the club.

They will also be serving football-themed food and are holding a raffle and tombola, with prizes including a signed Barcelona shirt, to raise money for Hope For Hollie, a charity raising funds to battle childhood dementia.

The waitresses are also donating their tips to the charity.

Jordan Nixon’s brothers Luke, 19, and Liam, 27, will travel to the game from Aberdeen and Middlesbrough respectively, while also among the crowd will be his 82-year-old grandfather Harry Nixon.

Mrs Nixon said: “It’s going to be so special for Harry to see his grandson at Wembley, and also for my mum, Sylvia Nolan, who is just football mad.

“There will be around 40 of us going to support Jordan, whatever the result we will all be so proud of him.”

West Auckland Town will kick off against Hampshire-side Sholing at 3pm.

Tickets cost £15 for adults and £5 for under 16s from ticketing.thefa.com.