Soldiers based out in Afghanistan will be cheering on Shrewsbury Town in the club’s big Wembley showdown, even though they are thousands of miles away.

And some of the soldiers will be watching the game against Gillingham on a specially bought television to ensure they catch every minute of the match on Sky Sports on Saturday.

Some have taken their Shrewsbury Town shirts with them to show their true colours and others have been keeping in touch with the build-up via the Shropshire Star’s website – with some even being sent copies of the paper by their loved ones.

One of those who will be unable to get back to see the team is Guardsman Mark Hopkinson, 19. He was deployed to the Middle Eastern country last month for a six-month tour of duty in Helmand Province.

But although Mr Hopkinson, of the Springfield area in Shrewsbury, is disappointed that he will not be able to be in the crowd for the match he is being kept up-to-date by his family who are sending him copies of the Shropshire Star.

And his 24-year-old sister Michelle, who will be attending the game with their nephew Ashley Thomas, 10, and niece Ellie Thomas, six, will ensure he is there in spirit as she has had her Town shirt printed with “Welsh Guards 1″.

Mr Hopkinson’s parents Jan, 48, and John, 53, said he was not due back from Afghanistan until October as he is serving out there with the Prince of Wales Company with the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, which he joined in 2007.

Mrs Hopkinson said: “He had said that if he was here he would be going to Wembley but as it’s turned out he won’t. He’s always been a Town supporter ever since he was a child. With him being away in the Army it’s really a case of when he can get to the matches but he would follow them with the TV wherever he was.

“It’s so sad but it’s just happened that he has had to go to Afghanistan. We are going to tape it for him to come home and watch and send him all the coverage from the Shropshire Star for him to see.”

She said he had taken his Shrewsbury Town shirt with him to Afghanistan.

By John Kirk