HE'S followed Hull City since his grandad took him to his first match as a child, so nothing is going to stop him travelling to the FA Cup final – not even a badly broken ankle.
Die-hard fan Bob Horton, 60, is holed-up in Ward 9 of Hull Royal Infirmary after coming a cropper on a flight of stairs.
He is expected to undergo surgery to fit a plate in his right ankle in the next few days.
But whether his ankle is ready or not, Bob – with his pot – is determined to make the trip to Wembley to cheer on Steve Bruce's men in the historic match against Arsenal on Saturday.
He said: "I am definitely going to be there.
"The FA Cup final is the stuff of boys' dreams and, let's face it, we're all big kids at heart.
"A mate of a mate reckons he is going to get me a wheelchair and they're going to push me up Wembley Way."
Bob, a familiar face among members of the Driffield branch of the Hull City Official Supporters Club, tripped as he climbed the stairs at his home two weeks ago.
When he visited A&E, doctors told him it was badly broken and he was admitted straight away.
"I was in a lot of pain when it happened, but just went to my GP," he said. "I was sent home and then went to have it X-rayed.
"The doctors took one look at it and said, 'You are staying here. You need surgery'."
For retired Army medic Bob, the pain of shattering an ankle is nothing compared with missing out on a cup final.
"It was bad enough missing the last game of the season against Everton on Sunday," he said.
"There's no way I can miss the FA Cup final. It's taken us long enough to get there."
In fact, it will be the first time in Hull City's 110-year history the club has played in the cup final.
Bob had a taste of Hull City withdrawal symptoms on Sunday when he was forced to miss the Tigers' final game of the season.
City suffered a 2-0 home defeat to Everton.
"It was pretty hard missing that game," he said. "Especially when I could see the ground from Hull Royal Infirmary.
"It was the first match I have missed all season."
Bob remembers being taken to his first Hull City match, aged five, at the old Boothferry Park ground.
"My grandad took me," he said. "That was an FA Cup game. We lost 2-1, I think. But I can't remember who we were playing."
If Bob could keep both sets of fingers and toes crossed for victory on Saturday, he surely would.
He said: "I hope we can do it, I really do.
"If you look at the form, it's probable we won't win, but it's the FA Cup Final and anything can happen. Magic can happen in the FA Cup final."
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