Grimsby Town at Wembley

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LET’S DO IT: Grimsby Town boss Paul Hurst says there will be no better way for the Mariners to clinch promotion than beneath the famous arch at Wembley.

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THERE is no grander way to earn promotion than beneath the famous arch at Wembley.

That’s according to Grimsby Town boss Paul Hurst, who is preparing to lead his men to the home of football once again.

Just 12 months ago, the Mariners suffered a heartbreaking penalty shoot-out defeat, after putting on a valiant display against Bristol Rovers.

Fast-forward the clocks, and Town have an immediate shot at redemption on Sunday (4pm).

But while Hurst accepts winning the title was his first ambition, he also believes the stage is set for a ‘perfect’ return to the 92.

Ahead of their date with destiny, against Forest Green, Hurst told the Telegraph: “There is no better way than doing it at Wembley.

“As much as it would have been great to win the league – and I’m not saying I wouldn’t have swapped places with Cheltenham – if we can win it here on Sunday, particularly with what happened last year, it is definitely the place to do it.

“It will take some beating to have that feeling of going up from a one-off game.

by Liam Wood Sports Writer

liam.wood@grimsbytelegraph.co.uk Twitter: @liamwoodGT

“You have 46 games and all of the ups-and-downs through that, then a two-legged semi-final.

“But it all comes down to 90 minutes initially, with the potential for 120 and then – like last season – penalties.

It will take some beating to have that feeling of going up from a one-off game Mariners boss Paul Hurst “I will take it whichever way it comes as long as we win, but in an ideal world we don’t want to be going to penalties again.”

After finishing the regular-season in fourth, the Mariners booked their return to Wembley

courtesy of a Play-Off Semi-Final victory over Braintree.

Town were trailing after the first leg at Blundell Park, before staging a heroic comeback at Cressing Road to complete a 2-1 win on aggregate.

Padraig Amond and Omar Bogle were the goalscorers in Essex, and Hurst says there is plenty to suggest there could be a black and white celebration.

He added: “Let’s hope it’s our time!

“There are a couple of things I have been thinking about personally – and they are a little bit silly really – but they make you think it could be our season.

“I’m sure Forest Green will have similar thoughts with the way their season has gone.

“You’ve got to believe – both sets of players, and clubs, have got to believe that it’s going to be their time.

“But you can’t get too carried away, because

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“I think we have earned it over the past few seasons – unfortunately, that doesn’t count for anything on Sunday.

“We are just hoping to perform at our best, and hopefully that will be enough to earn us the promotion we all want.”

WE’RE ON OUR WAY: Above, some moments from Grimsby Town’s last two visits to Wembley. From left to right; Bristol Rovers boss Darrell Clarke consoles Paul Hurst after winning promotion to the Football League courtesy of a penalty shoot-out; Hurst (second left), ex joint-boss Rob Scott, Craig Disley and James McKeown ahead of the FA Trophy Final in 2013; Hurst claps Town’s fans for their support.

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Friday, May 13, 2016

THISTOWNKNOWS Tait is eager to savour more Wembley glory with Town after double with U’s

Disley: I will have failed with Mariners if I don’t lead us to Football League CRAIG Disley says he’ll judge his time at Grimsby Town as a failure until he delivers on his five-year-old promise to lead the club back into the Football League.

When the midfielder arrived at Blundell Park in 2011, he says he did so with the sole aim of getting the club back where he insists it belongs.

He is acutely aware that he is yet to achieve that, but after the heartbreaking experiences of the last three Play-Off campaigns, the 34-year-old reckons that long wait is about to end. “It’s got to be our time, it’s got to be our year,� he told the Telegraph. “When I signed for the club five seasons ago, I signed to get the club back into the Football League, and if I don’t do that in my time here then I’ve failed. “After the disappointment of last year as well, getting so close with the penalty shoot-out, I just feel it’s got to be our year this year. “It would be massive for me personally, but for the club as a whole, they deserve to be in the Football League and the fans deserve to be watching League football. We’re desperate to do it for everyone, so we’ll keep our fingers crossed.

WALKING up those famous steps past a horde of your supporters, knowing that, in just a few moments, you’ll be laying your hands on a trophy you’ve worked tirelessly all season to earn.

by Matt Dannatt

Deputy Sports Editor

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“There were times in the semifinal when I thought we weren’t going to score the goal we needed, but thankfully, we got that bit of luck we needed with the penalty – it’s finally something that’s gone for us! “The lads are really focussed and really desperate to do it, and we’ll use the motivation from last year to drive us forward. Forest Green, in my opinion, are going to have to be very good to beat us on Sunday.�

With the Mariners set to face off with Halifax in the FA Trophy next weekend, people have been quick to draw comparisons with the double-winning season of 1998, when legendary boss Alan Buckley led his side to glory in the Second Division Play-Offs and the Auto Windscreens Shield.

Disley says the chance to follow the class of ’98 in making an indelible mark on the club’s history books is a motivation, but the skipper is in no doubt about which of Town’s two upcoming finals are of most importance. “We’re 90 minutes away from getting promoted back into the

It’s a feeling many of Grimsby Town’s players will be hoping to experience for the first time on Sunday as they look to make their way back into the Football League.

And, if any of them want to look for guidance on what’s needed to make it up to the Royal Box, they need look no further than one of their star performers this season.

Richard Tait will be looking for more Wembley glory this weekend – two years after tasting success with Cambridge United.

The defender was part of the U’s squad which did the double back in 2014 as they secured their place in the Football League – a feat the Mariners will be looking to emulate this year.

The Scot played in United’s FA Trophy win over Gosport Borough, but missed out on their Play-Off Final victory over Gateshead just a couple of months later – and he’s determined not to miss the chance of promotion glory this time around. “It’s nice to come

Football League, so all of our focus has to be on Sunday. “There’s not too many people who get to play in two finals in a year, so to get the chance to win a double, no matter what level you play at, it’s a massive achievement. Obviously the comparisons to the ’98 side have been made, so if we can look to emulate that, that’s what we’ll try and do and what a great season it would be if we could do that.�

Disley, who was visibly moved by the club’s semi-final win at Braintree added: “If I think about leading the team up those steps I might start crying again! To lift any trophy at Wembley would be something I could look back on when I finish playing with fondness. To possibly have the opportunity on Sunday to walk up those steps and lift the trophy that gets us back in the Football League, it’s what dreams are made of. Let’s hope we’re all dreaming on Sunday.�

by James Findlater

Sports Writer

james.findlater@grimsbytelegraph.co.uk Twitter: @JamieFin_

back, it’s a great stadium,� Tait told the Telegraph. “It’ll be great to be back on Sunday and see the black and white army. I’m really looking forward to it, and hopefully by the end of the game we’ll be walking up those steps as winners. “Obviously it’s a great feeling to win here, and I’m lucky to be able to say I’ve done that, but that all goes out the window on Sunday and I’ll just be looking to get this club back to the Football League.�

It’s a goal the club have been desperate to achieve since dropping down into non-league back in 2010.

The Mariners of course came agonisingly close to reaching the Promised Land last year, and the pain of that penalty shoot-out defeat to Bristol Rovers still lingers for many of the players.

But Tait is confident that he and his team-mates can use last year’s agony as incentive as they look to finally earn their long-awaited promotion. “A lot of the lads were here last year and have had that feeling of disappointment. “But not many people get to say

GET IN THERE! Grimsby Town defender Richard Tait (above left) celebrates at Wembley with Cambridge United in 2014.

Picture: Julian Finney (Getty Images) they’ve played at Wembley, never mind say they’ve won at Wembley, so that’ll be enough to drive anyone on. “We’ve got a great group of players, it’ll be a great day and the lads will be fully focused on it.

Winning on Sunday would mean everything.�

To possibly have the opportunity to lift the trophy that gets us back in the Football League is what dreams are made of

Craig Disley READY: Craig Disley and Richard Tait during their visit to Wembley. Picture: Paul Burgess

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‘Last year has put the fire in our bellies’ WHEN Grimsby Town suffered the heartache of their penalty shoot-out defeat to Bristol Rovers, Ian Holloway told the players to keep the disappointment in their ‘top pockets’ for this season.

As one of this season’s crop who went through that devastating experience, Gregor Robertson says it has certainly given them the ‘fire in their bellies’ to go one better in Sunday’s Play-Off Final with Forest Green Rovers. “I’ve only had one promotion in my career and that wasn’t through the Play-Offs,� he told the Telegraph “I saw the other side of it last year and it was devastating. I can remember Bristol Rovers players running past us to celebrate and the contrast in emotions between the two teams, over one penalty kick, was

unbelievable. “I’m just desperate that, this year, we’re the ones celebrating. The experience of last year has given us all that extra bit of fire in our bellies.

I’m desperate that we’re the ones celebrating Gregor Robertson (right) “I remember Ian Holloway telling us after last year’s final to keep the disappointment in our top pockets.

There are still a lot of us left who’ve still got it in our top pockets and we’ll be looking to use that motivation on Sunday.

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“We’re one game away from getting promoted and that’s what we’re all desperate to do.�

He added: “Everybody can’t wait for it. If it was tomorrow, we’d take it. We all can’t wait to get out there and try and win promotion. “There are naturally going to be some nerves, but we’re confident. Not over confident or cocky or anything like that, but there is an understanding that if we can play like we can, we will win the game and we will get promoted. “The second leg at Braintree has given everyone a boost going into the final. “The journey to this point has been a bit different to last year, but the belief and spirit is still here.

Hopefully we can go one better this time around.�

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