Fitz Hall has played in the Premier League with four different clubs, been sold for combined fees of more than £5m and secured promotion twice, but the defender has yet to fulfil his childhood dream of playing at Wembley.

When fit, the 32-year-old has been one of the first names on the team-sheet for Watford since he joined the club in the summer but he has had to settle for a place on the bench in recent weeks following his latest lay-off and now faces an anxious wait.

Hall has been plagued with injuries in recent years, however, he felt he had turned a corner towards the end of last year after initially missing the start of the season.

‘One Size’ has struggled with a hamstring injury, on and off, since the end of 2012 though. So the 32-year-old travelled to Germany for specialist treatment a month ago and has been on the bench for the last three Hornets games.

It was thought head coach Gianfranco Zola was maybe being cautious with the defender but Hall believes he has been fit enough to start for several weeks.

“It keeps flaring up but hopefully we’ve got to the bottom of it now,” Hall said.

“It has felt as good as it has for a couple of years now. The treatment in Germany was really good; there were some different methods and I’m optimistic about this game and next season.”

He continued: “With the team getting to Wembley, I would be disappointed if I didn’t play but I wouldn’t be angry.

“It would be a disappointment but the team have done well and over the two semi-finals the players who got us there deserve their chance.

“I have nothing negative to say about that. From a personal point I would like to play but I would have nothing bad to say if I didn’t play.”

When Hall was lining up for Chesham United in the Ryman Premier 11 years ago, by his own admission, he could never imagine his dream of playing at Wembley would ever become reality.

Hall was released by West Ham United as a youngster and although he had a brief stint with Barnet, he ended up joining non-league Chesham in 2001 as a 20-year-old.

Hall was a striker as a youngster but his manager at Chesham at that time, Bob Dowie, converted him into a centre-half and it wasn’t long before his brother, Iain, heard about the youngster and signed him for Oldham Athletic for £30,000.

Spells in the Premier League with Southampton, Crystal Palace, Wigan Athletic and Queens Park Rangers were to follow, as were Championship titles with Rangers and Newcastle United, where he was on-loan.

Hall said: “I have done the other side where I played non-league football and had to work on and off. I didn’t sign a pro contract until 21 which is quite late.

“But obviously it has always been a dream to get to Wembley and when I was at Chesham I could never have thought that one day I would be playing in a play-off final at Wembley to get to the Premier League.

“I am grateful to have that opportunity.”

He continued: “Everyone talks about it and if someone meets me the two questions they ask me are have you ever played against David Beckham? And have you played at Wembley?

“The answers to both of those questions were no but hopefully I can soon tick one of those boxes now. It is every boy’s dream and I am no different. It has come a little later in my career but it is welcome.”

Hall impressed during his four-and-a-half year stay at QPR but injuries limited him to just 16 appearances in all competitions last season and he was released.

The London-born player admits he didn’t expect to have the opportunity of an immediate return to English football’s top flight.

“If I am honest, when I signed I didn’t think we would have the success we have had this season. So looking back this season has been a great success,” Hall said.

“I’m disappointed I haven’t played in more games but at the end of the day we are in the play-off final at Wembley and I don’t think I could have asked for much more than that.

“I am fit for that game if needed. I’m looking forward to that and I don’t want to go into it disappointed or having regrets. On the whole the season has gone well.”

Hall had four-and-a-half years in the top flight and admitted: “Once you have played in the Premier League and had a taste of it that is where you want to finish off.

“I have always played in the Premier League for teams in a relegation battle though, so I haven’t enjoyed it as much as other people.

“I have been relegated once and scraped it a few times so it hasn’t been as fun as you would think because of the pressure but I have had good games in the Premier League and I want more with Watford.”

Whilst Hall’s various spells in the Premier League might have been difficult, his previous stints in England’s second division have been at teams expected to secure automatic promotion.

For that reason, he said: “When I joined Watford, the expectation was not to get promoted so I think if I did get promoted with Watford then it would be the best one yet.”

It has almost been accepted by the large majority that Watford have been the best footballing team in the Championship this season and that factor, combined with the Hornets’ league position, means Hall is optimistic heading into Monday’s final.

He stated: “The players are confident. We have gone into every game this season the same.

“We have played Palace twice – winning and drawing – so we don’t have anything to be scared off.

“If we play as well as we can then we will win but we have to respect them as well because they are a good team.

“They are in the final and there on merit, not by luck, so we will respect them but concentrate on our game.”

Hall spent two years at Watford’s play-off final opposition Palace – one in the Premier League and one in the Championship.

The second season ended with Hall and his Eagles team becoming involved in an altercation with Watford and their manager Aidy Boothroyd in the play-off final second leg – when Palace were already 3-0 behind.

Hall joked: “I saw on one website that I was the most hated opposition player for a while but in football, you never know where you will be next year and it is all forgotten.

“Now I wear the yellow of Watford, I’m sure they have forgiven me.”

Hall looks back on his spell at Selhurst Park fondly and if Watford weren’t in the play-off final, he admits he would be cheering on his former club.

He said: “If I am honest, if we (Watford) didn’t get promoted then the other club I would want to get promoted would be Palace but I am a Watford player and supporter now and I want to get us promoted.

“I think Julian Speroni is the only player who is still there from my days so the team has changed around a lot.

“I had good times at Palace but I am in that final with Watford and I want to beat them."

n Hall’s current deal with Watford expires in the summer and negotiations have yet to begin – which is the situation with regard to several members of the squad.

He said: “I think talks might have happened if we weren’t in the play-offs but because everyone is focused on the play-offs then it is the last thing on people’s minds.

“Hopefully as soon as we get promoted, we will sit down and have that conversation. Monday is the most important thing and then everyone can say what they have to say.”