PADRAIG AMOND says it's time for Grimsby Town to write the perfect promotion story.
It's been a tale of woe for the National League promotion chasers in the previous three seasons. Last year they missed out on a Football League return after losing to Bristol Rovers on penalties on the back of two successive semi-final defeats.
Boss Paul Hurst has got them into the top five again and with the FA Trophy final against FC Halifax Town also on the schedule, Grimsby have a chance of a Non-League double. And top-scorer Amond says the Mariners can deliver.
“We've drawn on the experience of the lads and the hurt they've had for the last few seasons from not getting up,” Amond, who has 36 goals this season, told The NLP.
“Then we've had the likes of Monks (Andy Monkhouse) who beat them in the final last year for Bristol Rovers, so he has that experience. Quite a few of the lads have been successful in play-offs with other clubs and we're bringing that all in together.
“We're not going in with a group who have never won. We've been able to draw on the heartbreak experiences but also the stories of elation. I know what ones sound better.
“The last thing I will be doing is watching the final if we're not in it. That's the motivation we need to use. It's our chance and it's up to us to prove we're good enough and prove the manager was right to sign us all to do the job for him.
Thrived
“Of course the aim is to get to the FA Trophy final having been promoted. But there are a lot of things that need to happen before then.
“Promotion is the big one at the minute. It's all about the play-offs and we will be raring to go in the semi-finals. When that final whistle goes after the second leg we need to make sure we're still in with a shout of promotion and not cursing our luck with a heartbreak story again.”
Amond has thrived in his first season at Grimsby and has become one of the most feared strikers in the division.
He added nine awards – eight Player of the Year gongs and the Golden Boot – to his goal haul at the club's end of season presentation night last week. And he's happy to be at the forefront of the opposition's minds.
“If someone wants to give me extra attention, that can take away from the other lads in the team,” Amond said.
“If they double up on me then someone else might be free. I'm willing to sacrifice myself to win promotion.
“If I'm marked out of the next three games and someone else scores the goal that gets us where we want to be, I'm happy. But I'm always confident when I go on the pitch that I'll score if I get the chances.”
*This article first appeared in The NLP on Sunday, May 1
