Mark Lawn: 'I had a few sherbets... and didn't go to bed!'

How City's co-chairman celebrated club's historic progress to Capital One Cup final

Bradford City joint chairman Mark Lawn (PA)

I didn't go to bed after the game. I have been sleeping in a chair. I had a few sherbets and we went down to a casino in Bradford with a few of the lads for breakfast.

I don't think it's really sunk in yet. I think it's going to take a bit of time before people realise the enormity of what the players have done. They've created history.

We have 31,000 tickets for Wembley and we will sell the whole lot without a problem.

My wife, Yvonne, has been having a long period of treatment for bowel cancer and she only came out of hospital on the eve of the game so it would not have been right for her to go to Aston Villa after a major operation – but she says she will be there at Wembley!

With regards to the manager, Phil Parkinson, and his future, I am a realist. Philip's contract is up at the end of the season but we are talking to him about a new one. He wants to stay, we want him to stay so, hopefully, we can get that done. But I am not daft and someone could come in and tempt him away.

It is such a great achievement to get to Wembley, and not just for the club. I'm a proud Bradfordian and we have had a lot of bad press about the city. What this does is let people not just in England but all around the country who are down in dumps with the recession show that the underdogs can come through, and that dreams can happen.

I hope some corporate companies get on the bandwagon and ring us up, and we can fly their flag.

The money that will come into the club now we have made the final will mean so much – but it is important people know that there are outgoings as well. Around £250,000 will go on bonuses for the players.

The money means that if we don't get promotion this year then, hopefully, we can keep this side together.

Of course, we are hoping to get promotion as well, and maybe getting to the final will instil some more belief into the players.