Omer Riza has already provided the hors d’oeuvre on one major Wembley occasion.

Now he is hoping to supply the main dish and help serve up an unforgettable afternoon for Shrewsbury Town supporters to feast on.

More than most, the pacy striker will be ticking down the days to the League Two play-off final after finally emerging from 15 months of torture caused by a suspension imposed by the Turkish FA following a contract dispute.

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His return to the game has been one of the heart-warming stories of Town’s campaign, and it would be a fairytale ending for Riza should he grab the winner against Gillingham on Saturday.

Not that the play-off final will be the forward’s first Wembley experience.

“I played for Arsenal against Tottenham in a youth game before the FA Cup semi-final between the two teams in 1991,” said the 29-year-old.

“It was the day Gazza (Paul Gascoigne) scored a wonder free-kick and we played beforehand. It was just a friendly game to give the lads the chance to enjoy the day.

“So I’ve played at the old Wembley but it’s nothing on this scale. It’s a great stadium, and not many players get the chance to do this. After what I have been through over that 15 months, I’m not holding back anything.

I’m going there to do some damage.”

Riza’s nightmare began in January 2008 when the Turkish footballing authorities imposed a four-month suspension, which eventually dragged on for well over a year, after they came down on the side of Trabzonspor in a player-versus-club dispute.

He arrived at Shrewsbury in January, but with the ban still in place, there appeared little chance of first-team football this term and was forced to rely on a diet of training and behind closed-doors-games.

But that all changed last month when FIFA clearance finally arrived, and with it the green light for the frontman to return to competitive action.

Three substitute appearances followed before Riza earned his first start when he was selected to lead the attack as Shrewsbury successfully overturned a 1-0 deficit against Bury in the play-off semi-finals.

“It has been a long 15 months for me,” he said. “ I was running constantly on my own during that time, talking to myself and telling myself to keep working.

“I’m still not there yet. I won’t be there until next season but I think people know I’ve got something I can offer that can give a bit extra to the team.

“I’ve been involved the last three or four games and to be involved with Shrewsbury at Wembley where we could possibly be going up to League One, you pinch yourself from time to time.

“But you have to think of the job in hand and get on with it.

“Some people can forget that we have got a final coming up with everything that is going on.

“There is a real buzz about the club and we need to get into Gillingham and get a result.”