Adrian Clifton has sent his thanks to Ian Wright, after the legendary Arsenal striker met the Boreham Wood player during a Sky documentary 13 years ago.
Clifton met Wright during a Sky reality TV show Football Behind Bars in 2009, in which Wright visited Portland Young Offenders Institution in order to create a football academy for the inmates.
The Boreham Wood forward, who was at Arsenal's academy as a youngster, was one of the men involved at HMP Portland, and has now reached the FA Cup fifth found.
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The non league club were shock winners on Sunday, as they defeated Championship side Bournemouth 1-0, away from home, and after the match Clifton was very thankful of Wright for his help.
"Thank you. Thank you.
"What more can I say?
"Thank you," an emotional Clifton told ITV after the game.
"There’s hope, there is hope.
"You know, when someone like Ian comes into a young man like myself’s like and shows belief, you can see how far it can go.
"I was reading a lot of stories about success story, the FA Cup success story of this.
"But for me it’s a success story in turning my life around, you know, getting back to where I should have been or could have been when I was younger, you know, so it’s amazing what the effect it had on me.Â
"Look I’m standing in front of you now. I’m holding back the tears massively.
"But yeah, it’s very very emotional, very emotional.
"But two words, thank you."
Their original meeting is a far cry from the life for the Montserrat forward, who has made 12 appearances for the national team, scoring four times.
Clifton and his fellow teammates will now head to face Premier League opposition in the next round, when they will come up against Everton at Goodison Park.
The Hertfordshire club are yet to concede a goal in the FA Cup, having defeated Eastleigh, St Albans, AFC Wimbledon and now Bournemouth.
The incredible story of this non league club in the cup, and Clifton's own personal rise, continues at a great pace.
Topics:Â FA Cup, Bournemouth, Ian Wright
Ryan Sidle