Ex-players offer Wembley tips

Shrewsbury Town players must believe in themselves and keep their nerve to win at Wembley and secure a memorable promotion.

That was the message from one former player who has already been part of a promotion winning team with the club.

Tony Larkin, who lives in Hereford, said he hoped Shrewsbury finished the job this weekend by getting promoted to League One.

The 53-year-old former defender, who played 55 games for the Town, made the comments at a Nostalgia Night at the Prostar Stadium last night, which was organised by the Super Blues Club and shrewsTRUST.

Mr Larkin was one of a number of ex-players and staff who were part of the 1978-79 Third Division Championship winning side who attended last night as people turned out to celebrate the achievement 30 years on.

He said: "They have to keep their nerve on the day and play to their strengths. They proved it in the last leg at Bury that they are a hard team to break down. They've just got to believe in it now."

Mr Larkin said Shrewsbury was one of the first clubs that he checked out the result for each weekend.

He said he had "three great years with Shrewsbury" and particularly enjoyed the promotion-winning season in 1978 to 1979.

He said: "We had a really good spirit. The year we went up we had the best defensive record and did well against the likes of Swansea and Watford.

"I think that's what was the key thing. We worked well as a squad. We all had a job to do and I think it was the fact we were a hard working team."

Steve Biggins scored more than 40 goals during just under 150 appearances for Town.

The forward, now aged 54, said he believed the club had enjoyed a "great season" this year.

"They started off extremely well. They then had a quiet spell during the middle part of the season where results didn't quite go their way. They battled through in the last ten games and everything has gone well," he added.

"Because they hit a bit of form and have that determination in them they have a good chance now of doing it at Wembley."

He has great memories of the promotion he was part of at the end of the 1970s, which came in his first season with the club.

"It was a fairytale to have your first season in league football and win lots of games, score lots of goals and eventually win the league," he said. Jake King, who got promoted with the team in 1978 to 1979 and later managed the club, also passed on his support and said he hoped to see the Town play the likes of Leeds United and Norwich City in League One next season.

He said: "There's been about nine or ten different signings this year. When I saw the signings I thought they would go up, definitely."

Ken Mulhearn played 370 games for Town as a goalkeeper, and his legacy lives on as his grandson Harry Lewis is in the Under 11s at the club.

Mr Mulhearn, who is now 63 and lives in Shrewsbury, said everything had "fallen into place" for the club.

He said the performance of goalkeeper Luke Daniels in the semi-final second-leg of the play-offs against Bury showed how important goalkeepers are.

"He had a stunning game. To come out and play like that was fantastic. It was one of the best displays of goalkeeping I've seen in the lower leagues," he said.

"It would be just deserved if they did win at Wembley."

Mr Mulhearn said team spirit was important. "It looks like the current team has the spirit here and are all working as one."

Full-back Carleton Leonard, 51, is now involved with the youth set-up at Shrewsbury Town having played nearly 300 times for the club.

He said it was just desserts for Shrewsbury Town to have secured a place in the play-offs.

Mr Leonard, from Oswestry, said: "I think in fairness having had a very good season, and I don't think they were out of the top eight all season, it would have been very disappointing if they hadn't got into the play-offs.

"At one time I think they were favourites to go up on merit. Their away form deserted them a little bit but came to the fore right at the end when they needed it." He said he was now even more confident than when the club played Bristol City at Wembley two years ago, losing in the play-off final.

"I just hope that on the day it goes our way," he added.

"Paul Simpson has got a very good squad together and I wish them all the best."

He said that when he played in 1978 to 1979 and the club got promoted Shrewsbury Town were the underdogs.

He added: "The turning point for Shrewsbury then was Christmas when we beat Swansea at home 3-0 and went to Walsall on Boxing Day and got a 2-2 draw.

"That showed we weren't just there for the ride. We won it on merit. "

Midfielder Jimmy Lindsay also enjoyed his time with Town, making nearly 90 appearances. The 59-year-old, who lives in Shrewsbury, said he had not secured promotion through the play-offs so did not know what that would be like for the team.

But he said: "They seem to have their name on it for me. I really do fancy them."

Bob Wardle also played in the team, making about 130 appearances as a goalkeeper.

Mr Wardle, 54 and from the Wirral, said: "I've been picking up on certain results that they have been having and am delighted that they are in with a chance. They are coming in on the rails which is always a good thing. They must feel very confident they've played Gillingham twice this season and not lost to them.

"I would say enjoy the day. If they enjoy it hopefully they will get the result that they need."

Alan Durban, from Telford, also attended last night having managed the club from 1974 to 1978.

He said the club had "every chance".

"I think having broken that hoodoo of not being able to win away from home, they've gone and won three from home," he said. But you've got to be careful that the occasion doesn't overcome the importance of why you are going there. The players have got to realise that it's a game of football that needs to be won."

Richie Barker has a special place in Town fans hearts as he managed the side to a great start the season the club won the league in 1978 to 1979.

He left for Wolves during the season, with Graham Turner coming in to lead the team to promotion.

Mr Barker, 69 and from Market Drayton, said it was "fantastic" to be part of the memorable season.

Speaking about the current team he said he believed the club had a "great chance" of getting promotion.

Sammy Irvine, 53, made more than 200 appearances for Town from 1972 to 1978 and while the club got promoted in 1978 to 1979 he enjoyed promotion to the then First Division with Stoke City.

In his first season with the club, when he was only 17, he suffered the heartbreak of relegation to the Fourth Division but the club got promoted in the following season.

Mr Irvine, who lives near Shrewsbury, said he believed the current team would get promoted and he enjoyed watching them play.

He said: "They are trying to play a bit of football, knocking it around and keeping it on the ground. It's nice to see that."

By John Kirk