AN assistant headteacher showed off his cup-winners' medal at school after coming home a hero from a Wembley final.

Michael Robson, 31, of Oakfields Community College, in Middlesbrough, played centre back for Dunston UTS in their 2-0 victory over West Auckland in the FA Vase.

The PE teacher, who only reluctantly came into school with his kit and medal at the request of the The Northern Echo, has been mobbed byexcited youngsters.

"I've just had my Year 11 class and I couldn't stop them talking about it, " said Mr Robson. "They're doing their final exams and I was thinking, 'hold on, I need them to shut up and get working here'.

"I tell them there are much better players than me in the league - I'm absolutely not Billy Big-time - but I did have determination, discipline and graft and stuck at it, that's the message I tell them."

MrRobson, who is orignally from the Netherfields area of Middlesbrough, was on Sunderland's books as a teenager but was let go by former manager Peter Reid when he was 18. Despite the temptation to join other clubs, he has stuck with Dunston, Gateshead, for nine years.

He said: "When we won the semi-final, coming from behind twice and down to ten men, I thought, 'well, I'm not too bothered about winning the final, it's all about the experience and all that'.

"Of course, I totally changed my mind as the big day approached. I was desperate to win."

Mr Robson, whose wife, Julie, is seven-and-a-half months pregnant, said his whole family was at the final.

"My nana was there afterwards taking pictures of Julie's bump so she'd be able to show the baby he or she was at Wembley to see me win the cup, " he said.