Whitstable player-boss Jamie Coyle has admitted they’re starting to dream of a Wembley final.

The Oystermen reached the quarter-finals of the FA Vase for the first time in their history last Saturday after Jayden Boulton and Mikey Dalton sealed a 2-1 home win over Fleet Town.

They’ve been paired with Midland Football League side Whitchurch Alport in the last eight on March 1. Win that game and they’re just a two-legged semi-final away from the final at Wembley in May.

“It’s the old cliche as a manager, it is one game at a time,” said Coyle. “But the players are aware how close we are.

“You’re literally three big performances away now, two legs in the semi-final from actually being in the final of this competition. It’s a great opportunity for the club and a great opportunity for these young players that are still learning the game.

“But why not? We need to get a little bit of luck between now and the semi-finals. But, yes, absolutely. There’s faith, there’s belief in this squad.

“Obviously they sing about Wembley after every game. I think naturally you do, don’t you? The music comes on but they’re a real honest, hard-working bunch.

“They know that we have to take it one game at a time. And we need a little bit of luck with potentially draws and who we get in the next round, and the same with the semi-finals if we get there.

“But I’ve got so much faith and trust in this group. I said to them before the game on Saturday, if we go and deliver what we’re capable of then I’d only see one winner and they’ve done that. It’s a great time for the club and we’re absolutely delighted.”

The stakes get bigger the closer Whitstable get to a showpiece final in May but Coyle insists they’ve taken each round in their stride so far. And he doesn’t expect that to change if they keep progressing.

“Every round that we’ve played in, we’ve dealt with it in terms of it being a knockout competition,” said Coyle.

“Our performances in this competition, when the chips were down, with backs against the wall, with players not available, it’s been absolutely unbelievable.

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“We want to take that mentality to the league if we’re to have a late surge to get into the play-offs. But, yes, the Vase is serious. It’s been serious from the start, it really has, and they’ve treated it that way.

“We’re three games away, three big performances away from taking this club to Wembley. So why not?”

Most managers who get this far in the competition will start to worry about fixture congestion but that’s not a concern for Coyle, who is effectively operating with two squads.

He had nine players unavailable against Fleet Town so he’s not anticipating any problems on that front.

“We had eight players that weren’t available and then Will Thomas pulled out as well,” said Coyle.

“He was our ninth player that was in and around our squad last week, so it’s been crazy in terms of trying to get some bodies in.

“We’re trying to build a bigger and bigger squad so trying to keep 24 players happy is going to be tough. You want as many games as you can get.

“It’s a headache and it’s been a test, I’ve never managed at this level before and had the rule of two yellow cards in the Vase and you’re suspended but you have to manage it.

“It’s the same for all the teams so it’s been difficult but it’s an opportunity for players to come in and show what they can do.”

Whitstable, who won 2-1 at Fisher in the league on Tuesday thanks to Jake McIntyre and Liam Gillies, host Tunbridge Wells in Southern Counties East on Saturday and Snodland on Tuesday.