How David Beckham calmed Hull City's pre-Wembley nerves

Against an Arsenal side desperate to end a nine-year wait for a major trophy by lifting the FA Cup, the Tigers were two goals ahead inside eight remarkable minutes.

It was a genuine ‘pinch me, I must be dreaming’ moment for not just City but football fans all around the world. Arsenal, making their 18th appearance in a Cup final, simply did not know what had hit them and had Alex Bruce’s 11th-minute header not been headed off the line by Kieran Gibbs then surely there would have been no way back for Arsene Wenger’s men.

As it was, Santi Cazorla pulled a goal back shortly after Bruce had been denied and Arsenal went on to lift the famous old trophy for an 11th time after extra-time.

Hull’s consolation was being part of one of the Cup’s all-time classic finals and, as Bruce’s side prepare for a first return to Wembley since that day, David Meyler reveals the secret behind a start so stunning that it left the Gunners reeling.

“David Beckham was in our changing room before the final,” said the 26-year-old midfielder ahead of City’s all-Yorkshire showdown with Sheffield Wednesday. “That was probably a great ploy from the manager because we weren’t thinking about the game. We were too busy thinking, ‘What is Becks doing here?’

“We were all in awe looking at him. It was surreal but he wished us all the best. What a nice gentleman. He came along to each individual and wished us luck. A couple of the lads who were injured or not in the squad got photos with him.

“For those 10 minutes, I think we all forgot we were in a Cup final and that was probably why we had the start we had.”

Whether Bruce, a former team-mate of Beckham at Manchester United, has another big name lined up to visit the City dressing room ahead of the play-off final remains to be seen.

But there can be little doubt that Saturday’s game is all about the result. Unlike the 2014 Cup final, there will be little consolation to be had even if the game turns out to be just as thrilling.

Getting back in the top flight is all that matters to Hull. Meyler and his team-mates want to be back at Old Trafford, the Emirates and Stamford Bridge next season as Premier League players.

“It would be great to have Premier League football for the city of Hull,” added the Cork-born Republic of Ireland international. “A lot of people at home ask me what Hull is like and my response is always to say it is just like Cork.

“I can understand if you have come from London, one of the best cities in Europe, and you are not keen. But I like living in Hull, we have got everything we need.

“I have fabulous neighbours, Graham and Sue. They are lovely people. Everyone around Cottingham, where I live, is nice. I enjoy the area and the people. It is a warm place.

“It would be great to have Premier League football back next season. You only have to look at the attendances and how they change. People want to come and watch the big teams.

“I keep hearing that Hull is going to be the City of Culture next year. Cork was City of Culture (in 2005) and it never got the same talk! But the people here are obviously very proud and that is great.”

Meyler was brought off the bench in City’s play-off semi-final second-leg encounter against Derby County to steady things.

The Tigers had seen their three-goal lead from the Ipro Stadium cut to 3-2 and Steve Bruce knew the midfield needed not only more energy but also tightening up.

It was no surprise he should turn to a midfielder who played under Bruce for Sunderland before the pair were reunited at Hull a few months into the manager’s reign.

Meyler, who became a father for the first time a couple of months ago, has proved a reliable performer and he will head to Saturday’s final with a Wembley goal to his name already.

“We were laughing and joking the day after the Derby game at training,” added the midfielder, who netted the Tigers’ final goal in the 5-3 semi-final triumph over Sheffield United. “Me and Curtis (Davies) were joking and saying, ‘Who’s going to join the goal-scorers at Wembley club?’ after we both did it (in 2014).

“That’s it, really. Someone can be a hero. You look at Dean Windass, he is still living off that goal (in 2008)! Anytime I see him, it gets brought up.

“That was a terrific goal and it won Hull City promotion. So, it is up to someone else to leave their mark. Whether it is Abel (Hernandez), (Mo) Diame, (Robert) Snodgrass or (Ahmed) Elmohamady, someone can be that person.”

So much is at stake in this weekend’s play-off final that there is a very strong argument to suggest it is a bigger game than the 2014 FA Cup final. The pressure will be on and City’s challenge is to handle that much better than was the case in the second leg against Derby.

“We have big-occasion players who have played in big games,” added Meyler, who hopes to wake on his birthday this Sunday as a Premier League player. “We have a lot of experience.

“You could see from the first game (against Derby) that we dealt with it superbly. In the second, we probably let ourselves down if we are honest. Derby pushed us all the way but we dealt with it, in the end. We showed a different side to us.

“Maybe a few months ago when we were going through rough patches, we would have caved in. Instead, we dug deep and got through to Wembley. And I believe we can beat them, I believe we are better than them and I believe we will win.

“As for the financial side of things (Saturday being the richest game in world football and, therefore, bigger than the Cup final), as footballers we don’t look at that side of things. The FA Cup would have been a magnificent trophy to win. It is an accolade you would have for the rest of your life.

“I don’t want to get started on that game because I could go on all day about how we should have won it. The goal Cazorla scored, if we had have gone in at 2-0 then we would have probably seen it out.

“I try to think of the good memories about Wembley. After the FA Cup final I was drugs tested and didn’t get back to the team hotel until 11.30pm. I had my mum, dad and sister there waiting for me.

“I was annoyed, I was angry but I remember my dad saying, ‘What a day, this will live with you forever.’ He still talks about going up Wembley Way with the Hull fans, Leonna Lewis singing beforehand, the fireworks, everything. It was remarkable.

“As players you don’t see all that, we are bussed into the stadium underground and then into the changing rooms.

“This time, I would just be happy to win the final. We couldn’t do it in the FA Cup final so we have to make sure we make it right at Wembley this time.”