Nervous build up to Wembley play-offs compares with Paralympics. 21 May 2010

David, 29, who has won 11 Paralympic Gold medals, has been a City supporter his whole life and followed the team through highs and lows since he was a child.

He said: “The play off final will be as exciting and as nerve wracking as the Paralympics for me. It’s going to be strange because I’m used to all the tension and pressure being on me but I feel the same now as when I’m competing. It is such a big chance for City, this is Premiership football, the real deal.

“Cardiff City has always been my local club and there has never been a second thought as to my pledge to support them. Blackpool is a good team to play but you’re always a bit worried because they’ve had a good run of form. If City turn up and play, they will win but it depends on which City turns up.”

David, who is set to compete in the BT Paralympic World Cup next week in Manchester, has been training with the GB swimming team in Majorca as Cardiff City won their place in the final.

He continued: “We were all crammed around a laptop which kept crashing. It was so frustrating. I was having texts from home with updates on the score before we could see it happen and I was jubilant when they won.

“This weekend they need to go the extra mile. In the past they seemed to take their eye off the ball before the job was done but this year they have learned from their mistakes and there are no let ups. This year they’ve had more regular scorers, been able to cope with injuries and have tried to win right throughout every game and that’s the biggest difference.

“They have got to try get up there and do what Stoke has done by being hard to beat. The hardest part of getting to the Premiership is staying up but if City can last one season and get established, they will continue to perform.

“If they do make it, it will be huge for Cardiff as a city. We just don’t fully appreciate yet how big it can be. To have world class players and the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal here every weekend will be wonderful. The new stadium is fantastic and deserves Premiership football, it is crying out for it.

“The score is going to be tight, I’d love to say City will win by eight goals but you know that’s not going to happen. We need to go up and turn a corner of London into part of South Wales’. My prediction is that Blackpool will score but City will win 2-1 because they have the power to see this through.”