JIMMY HILL'S SUNDAY SUPPLEMENT

The wonder of Wembley - Video

Paul Hayward fell in love with the place, Oliver Holt was equally impressed, but a little concerned about the atmosphere at the new Wembley.

As ever Wembley evoked varying emotions as the Sunday Supplement reflected on its first real showpiece, the 2007 FA Cup final.

Hayward, of the Daily Mail, felt that the English game is back at home there and was full of praise for the staff that, he says, made it a special place to be on Saturday.

Chelsea's extra-time win over Manchester United was hardly the script-writer's choice for the biggest game there to date, but off the field at least, it might even be worth the wait, if not all the money.

"It did take my breath away and what it did was reconnect with all my personal memories of Wembley, the experience of Wembley and the tradition of Wembley," said Hayward.

"It was as if the FA Cup had come home. English football makes a lot of claims for itself and has got a huge ego and in a way it needs a great stage to show it off to the world and stage its biggest games - and I think Wembley is that.

"I think the cost is obscene really and we're seeing the fall-out from that in high ticket prices, but the facilities, the attitude of the staff was first-rate yesterday.

"A stadium isn't just about the quality of the games it stages and the seats, it's about the atmosphere, the ethos of the place, and I thought the staff made it a lovely place to be. I'm in love with the place already!"

Holt was equally impressed by both the staff and surroundings, but did have one qualm about what he saw at the curtain-raiser.

The Daily Mirror man felt the atmosphere at the cup final was not quite up to par with the old stadium, and he does fear that high ticket prices might mean it never will be.

"I would echo everything Paul said. I'd give the facilities 10 out of 10," he said. "But I'd say the atmosphere wasn't quite what I was hoping for.

"Whether that was because it was a poor game and there wasn't an awful lot to get excited about; whether it's only because there were so few seats given to the fans of both clubs or whether it's something that has just gone for ever and we're in a situation where what we would refer to as real fans, are being priced out of the game, I don't know.

"But if you get those kind of supporters, they're not going to make the same noise - you're getting the prawn sandwich brigade.

"My fear is that Wembley Stadium will be filled like that and the atmosphere is never going to be quite what it was."