Norfolk under-18s captain Sam Borrer has hailed his side’s work ethic which has helped them create history ahead of Saturday’s County FA Youth Cup final against Staffordshire at Stoke’s Britannia Stadium (2pm).

Borrer’s squad is the first in the 120-year-old history of the Norfolk FA to reach the prestigious national showpiece final.

He said: “We’re all ecstatic. Sometimes in football you work hard and do not get what you deserve. Other times you work hard and get what you’ve earned and that’s exactly how we feel. The squad is really looking forward to the final and attempting the challenge of being the first Norfolk squad to win the County FA Youth Cup.”

The Dereham midfielder has spoken of the superb team spirit inside the Norfolk camp and believes the cup run has brought the team even closer together.

He said: “The team spirit is absolutely incredible. We are all good friends and have developed a great rapport between each other, the coaches, the manager and the committee.

“We have developed a winning mentality and have come a long way as a team. “Personally, I love turning up to our Norfolk matches, seeing the same faces in the changing room that have shared the experience of our long road to the final. I feel blessed by the opportunity to share the pitch with such quality players.”

Borrer also believes the cup run has played a huge part in his own personal development as a footballer. He said: “Personally, I feel that I have developed into a much better player than I was two or three years ago. For this I can only thank the two coaches, Jamie (Neilson) and Laurence (York) and the manager, Ian (Thornton). I feel they have developed my game and the rest of the squad alike.”

Borrer, who has played for Norfolk since under 14s level, is proud to have led the county all the way to the final. Borrer is now potentially 90 minutes from becoming the first Norfolk U18 captain to lift the trophy.

He said: “It’s something that has always been an aspiration of mine and one that I am extremely proud of. I have represented Norfolk from the age of 14 and to see it through to the U18s has been incredible. It has been a long journey through youth football and to finally be rewarded with something like this is completely overwhelming.”