Six days on from cheering Arsenal as English champions for the first time in 22 years, Coleraine-born fan Sean Rankin is dreaming of history in Hungary tonight and Mikel Arteta's men crowned kings of Europe for the first time ever.
Sean has spent decades following in the family footsteps as a proud Gooner - travelling the world clocking up the miles plus a lifetime of memories, magic and, at times, misery.
Coleraine Arsenal Supporters' Club members in Budapest at the fan zone before Saturday's Champions League final, from left, Jonathan Irwin, Sean Rankin, Steven O'Neill and Alex Garrett. (Photo by Sean Rankin)placeholder image
Coleraine Arsenal Supporters' Club members in Budapest at the fan zone before Saturday's Champions League final, from left, Jonathan Irwin, Sean Rankin, Steven O'Neill and Alex Garrett. (Photo by Sean Rankin)
But all those years of cheers and tears now come down to 90-plus minutes this evening for Sean and the millions of his fellow fans as Arsenal attempt to end the biggest game in club football with that Champions League milestone.
"I've been in the Coleraine Arsenal Supporters' Club from the 2003/04 season and we've been around since 1998," said Sean. "My grandfather was a big Arsenal fan and it runs across the whole family. I've been to the majority of cup finals and we were at Crystal Palace last weekend for the Premier League trophy presentation but this is my first European final...really, the big one."
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta leading the Premier League trophy celebrations. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images For Premier League)placeholder image
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta leading the Premier League trophy celebrations. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images For Premier League)
Sean is relishing the chance to celebrate his personal landmark from a seat in the stands with possibly the most significant "I was there" moment across the Londoners' 140-year existence.
"I think with winning the Premier League last week that's an extra boost, we'll hopefully take that confidence into the match," he said before flying out earlier this week. "I'm really looking forward to the next few days and, hopefully, we can bring back the big one and put that hoodoo to bed...finally! But it's going to be really tough against PSG, the Champions League holders."
With just two European prizes on the club's roll of honour and second in the race for glory on six occasions - including the only other Champions League final appearance in 2006 - there is the weight of history on Arsenal alongside the knowledge to win the most important club trophy they must overcome the most celebrated team. The contrast in styles between the French flair of Paris Saint-Germain and set-piece kings Arsenal serves up one of the most fascinating storylines of the showpiece occasion.
"I would hope we'll give them a decent match and if we can go 1-0 up and start to defend I think that would be our plan," said Sean. "But obviously PSG in the last year or two whenever they've met big teams it doesn't seem to affect them...they go and just hammer teams really.
"In the Premier League run-in all this sort of doubt started to creep in but I was always behind Arteta...even if we didn't even win something this year. But we've got over the line (in the Premier League)...so there's a big boost. I give Arteta a lot of credit for building the club up.
"To be honest, the way we played this year it wasn't great football to watch...those last games you're thinking of the previous times it went wrong, I was really nervous but they obviously found a way to win.
"I'm hoping next year we can take the handbrake off...but let's see. I think there'll be more to come, I'm fully behind Arteta's project."