Promotion Final Glory Really Suited Gowling & Grimsby!

Often it's the snarling, sometimes the refusal to make eye-contact. Battle lines are drawn before the white line is crossed.

Outside the dressing rooms is one thing, but what about as they get off the coach two hours ahead of the action?

Grimsby Town had been out of the Football League for six years, the last three summers wrecked by play-off failure. But at Wembley in 2016 against Forest Green Rovers they had centre-back Josh Gowling in their line up.

They also got word that the opposition were already planning a bit of an after-party.

The defender, who will work alongside Steve Burr next season, was confirmed at Hereford’s new manager on Friday.

He let us in on a whisper which got around in the build up to the big game.

He said: “We saw a number of the Forest Green players wearing tracksuits as they got off the team coach.

“They had their suits with them and one of our guys asked why. Apparently they were saving the suits for after the game, there was a party clearly being planned!

“That’s all we needed to know. It gave us an extra reason to win - not that we really needed one. I remember thinking ‘we can’t be having that!’

“Our fans were desperate for us to go up. There was a pressure on us to deliver it as well because we lost the final the year before.

“I didn’t play that day against Bristol Rovers. We did a sprinting session a week or so before and I pulled my hamstring. It was my lowest point in football. I watch that game from the bench. I felt the pain of everyone that day. You looked at the faces of everyone and it was just complete and total devastation.

“I was on loan but on the coach on the way home, manager Paul Hurst came and sat next to me. He told me he wanted me to return next season - I said yes there and then, it was total unfinished business.

“The next season was all about righting a wrong. It was laser focus. Winners make a statement and we knew we had to make one. To do it like we did was incredible. What a squad it was too.

“We actually still have a What’sApp group together which will fill with memories of the day and pictures.

“He doesn’t know this but the group photo is a real dodgy picture of Hursty! The bond we had that year was fantastic.”

Two quickfire Omar Bogle goals just before half-time gave Grimsby control in Wembley.
Rovers bit back after the break and Keanu Marsh-Brown's excellent goal reduced their deficit.

But Nathan Arnold wrapped things up, 3-1 and it was fourth time lucky.

Although Forest Green’s supposed pre-match fashion statement may have helped, Gowling reckons promotion could have actually been won in Essex some time before.

The 1-0 home semi-final first leg defeat to dogged Braintree left them staring into the play-off abyss once again.

But a Herculean 2-0 victory at Cressing Road even stunned their ever-optimistic centre-half.

He explained: “It was that day many of us thought ‘we’ve got this’ - we wouldn’t say it, but in a way that was our final.

“We played Braintree three times before that second leg and hadn’t even scored a goal. Our fans probably feared the worst but it was that day where we kind of secured promotion mentally.

“The final of course was tough but that was the result that gave us a type of confidence you wouldn’t believe.

“I knew at that point we we’re going to do it and thankfully that proved to be the case.”

There were plenty of proud Mariners inside Wembley that sweltering May day, but none more so than a beaming little lady sitting just above the dug-out.

As good as Josh was that season, things would have been very different had Victoria Gowling not made some serious sacrifices 20 years earlier.

“I was an emotional wreck that day, but so was my mum,” he added.

“Parents don’t come much better - she has given up so much for me to have a career in football. As a single parent she made sure I had everything I needed.

“She worked two jobs to make sure I had a chance. When I was 13 as a YTS at West Brom, she couldn’t take me to training.

“I had to get the train there so she always phoned up and spoke to the conductors to make sure they looked after me at both ends!

“I’m glad she was able to see me win at Wembley. I know how proud she is.”