A FAMILY engagement at the Royal Albert Hall will deny Luke Joyce a trip to Wembley next month, but the Accrington Stanley midfielder hopes he will get his own chance to take centre stage at Old Trafford in May.

Reds assistant boss Jimmy Bell has credited Joyce and keeper Alex Cisak – a PFA Fans’ player of the month nominee – with ‘totally transforming’ the club’s season in recent weeks, with their recalls coinciding with a run of 20 points from a possible 27.

The Reds now find themselves 10th in League Two and their hopes of making it to the play-off final at Old Trafford on May 28 are increasing all the time.

That is Joyce’s main aim for the season but it could yet be a bumper fortnight for the 24-year-old, who is also hoping for a May visit to Wembley to watch his boyhood club Bolton in the FA Cup final.

Bolton take on Stoke in the semi final on April 17 but Joyce will be unable to make it on that occasion.

“I really wanted to go but my fiancee’s auntie is a singer and she sings in London on the West End,” said Joyce.

“That Sunday she’s got a big concert at the Royal Albert Hall, and it’s my fiancee’s birthday so we’d already got tickets to go there before Bolton got into the semi final. I’m gutted but that takes precedence! Hopefully if they get to the final I can go to that.

“And of course the play-off final at Old Trafford would be lovely, although you don’t want to think about it too much because you can get carried away and not think about the games coming up. But it would be great. It’s half an hour away, ideal for friends and family not having to traipse all the way down to Wembley.

“That’s our aspiration and hopefully we can get there.”

Joyce remembers all too well that Aldershot boss Dean Holdsworth missed a crucial open goal when Bolton last got to the FA Cup semis in 2000. And he thinks tomorrow’s fixture – brought forward to 1pm to avoid a clash with the match between Wales and England at 3pm – could be key for Stanley.

“The lads were disappointed with a draw at Crewe but that shows how far we’ve come,” he said. “This is another big game and we’re going there to win.”