THERE will be a familiar face for Mariners fans in the Wembley crowd on Sunday – last season's Supporters Young Player of the Year, Conor Townsend.
The full-back spent much of the last campaign on loan at Blundell Park, impressing Town fans with his mature performances before returning to parent club Hull City.
Now on loan at League Two Chesterfield, the 20-year-old has great memories of his time with the Mariners, and is hoping for a few more on Sunday.
"I'm heading down to Wembley with my dad to watch the final," he told the Telegraph.
"We're going down on one of the coaches that my dad used to travel on last season – he became quite good friends with the people on the bus while I was at Town so he's kept in touch.
"When we heard that they had got to Wembley, he said 'do you fancy going?' So I jumped at the chance.
"I'm really looking forward to it. It's a great day out for all the fans and it will be really nice to see some of the people I got to know last year through my time at Blundell Park."
Townsend played his part in Town's run to the quarter-finals of the FA Trophy last season, and is delighted that they've gone two steps further this time around.
"Obviously, I keep a look-out to see how Town are doing," Townsend added.
"It was a really good time for me while I was there and I'll always have fond memories of the club.
"It's a great achievement for the club to get to Wembley. It will be a tough game but I'm confident Town can win it.
"I still speak to some of the lads other there. Obviously, Jamie Devitt is someone I know quite well and recently I spoke to Liam Hearn on Twitter.
"He's been out for almost the whole season so that's been really tough on him – but what better way to come back than to play at Wembley and get the win?
"I'm at Chesterfield this season. It's going okay – we're just outside the play-offs and it's a big ask to get there, but you never know. There's always one team that makes a late run.
"I'm enjoying my football and just doing whatever I can to improve."
