Playing for Crystal Palace at Wembley this Monday will be a dream come true for midfield maestro Jonny Williams.

The Welshman watched from the stands as a 10-year-old academy player when Palace last won a play-off final, in 2004 at the Millennium stadium in Cardiff.

He dreamed then of playing in a big game for Palace and again earlier this year, when he went to Wembley to watch Swansea City win the League Cup.

And now that he is almost there, Williams can hardly believe it.

“I never thought I would be in this position,” he said.

“When I was there in 2004 at the play-off final, to be there in that atmosphere as an academy player supporting the first team was great.

“And now to be a first-team player getting ready to play in that game is pretty special.

“I have been at the club since I was eight and it means so much to me to be playing for Palace.

“To have played 50 games for them and to have the opportunity to go up to the Premiership with the team I have grown up with is even more special.

“It is great for my family, who gave me lifts from school to training, and to be at Wembley will be very special.

“I have been there once to watch the Carling Cup final this season. I was thinking to myself then that it could be us in the play-off final.

“It is a dream come true.”

Williams will be Palace’s youngest player in the squad on Monday at 19 years and 230 days, but although he admits stepping out on to the Wembley turf will bring the inevitable butterflies, he hopes he can keep them under control.

“It is probably the biggest game of most of our careers, and definitely mine,” he said.

“I cannot wait for it to come. It’s been a fantastic season and to get to Wembley is just rounding it off perfectly – hopefully we can win it now.

“Preparation will be key and the lads are fine and looking forward to it.

“It will be hard not to get a little bit nervous but I played for Wales at Hampden Park in a World Cup qualifier and that was pretty much full so that will hopefully help.”