Goalkeeper Ross Worner framed Arsenal FA Cup shirts for Sutton United team-mates - now he could be doing the same for Hawks players

Goalkeeper Ross Worner is picturing another potential boom in business - should the Hawks continue their FA Cup run past this weekend.
FA Cup magic - Ross Worner celebrates with fans after helping Sutton United dump Leeds United out of the tournament in 2016/17. Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images.FA Cup magic - Ross Worner celebrates with fans after helping Sutton United dump Leeds United out of the tournament in 2016/17. Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images.
FA Cup magic - Ross Worner celebrates with fans after helping Sutton United dump Leeds United out of the tournament in 2016/17. Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images.

The 31-year-old former Charlton and Sutton stopper has been juggling preparations for Sunday's second round tie at Marine FC with running his memorabilia framing company.

Worner is one of several of the Hawks' squad likely to be unfazed by the occasion and what could be in store should they progress.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Along with Roarie Deacon and Bedsente Gomis, Worner was part of the Sutton United side that Paul Doswell led to a fifth round meeting with Arsenal in 2017.

Ross Worner got some good business off the back of Sutton's FA Cup tie with Arsenal in 2017/18. Here, Roarie Deacon - now Worner's team-mate at Westleigh Park - battles for possession with Theo Walcott and Gabriel Paulista. Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images.Ross Worner got some good business off the back of Sutton's FA Cup tie with Arsenal in 2017/18. Here, Roarie Deacon - now Worner's team-mate at Westleigh Park - battles for possession with Theo Walcott and Gabriel Paulista. Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images.
Ross Worner got some good business off the back of Sutton's FA Cup tie with Arsenal in 2017/18. Here, Roarie Deacon - now Worner's team-mate at Westleigh Park - battles for possession with Theo Walcott and Gabriel Paulista. Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images.

The U's might have been unable to spring one of the biggest shocks in the tournament’s history - losing 2-0 - but the players got the chance to grab the shirt of one of Arsene Wenger's stars at full-time.

It meant Worner was framing the tops worn by big names such as Alexis Sanchez, Alex Iwobi and Shkodran Mustafi for his Sutton team-mates in the weeks that followed.

And should the Hawks put themselves in the third round hat alongside Premier League and Championship clubs, he is predicting players could be asking him the same again this season.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

‘When I was at Sutton we had a good run and we had a good shirt framing run as well!,' joked Worner.

‘I was running that (memorabilia framing business) alongside it and all the boys wanted it done.

‘As soon as we’d played the Arsenal game everyone wanted their shirt with an Arsenal shirt put in a frame.

‘I done Sanchez’s shirt, Iwobi, Mustafi and I got (Rob) Holding’s shirt - I wanted (David) Ospina’s but couldn’t get hold of it.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

'The lads were just saying to me, ‘put it with my Sutton shirt and that’s going up on the wall.’

‘It’s always nice to get that stuff in because it gets to go on the website and you’re getting match-worn shirts in.

'Fingers crossed, we can get through and get a big team.'

But Worner insisted the Hawks are not focusing their attention any further ahead then Sunday's trip to Northern Premier League Division One North West outfit Marine.

The Merseysiders dumped out League Two Colchester on penalties in the previous round Meanwhile, Doswell's side were pushed all the way by another team from two divisions below them - Cray Valley Paper Mills - before running out 1-0 victors.

'In the FA Cup anything can happen,' warned Worner.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

‘You’ve seen it with us getting through when we were at Sutton, we got to the fifth round and we beat league clubs.

'Football is a funny old game and anything can happen on the day.

'We’ve just got to make sure when we go we put a good performance in and don’t take anything lightly, because it’s not going to be an easy game.'