The first Shrewsbury Town Fans arrive at the stadium this morning. Front: Jay Small and Andy Street. Back: Gareth Ward, Stephen Hutchison and Andy Jenkinson. Picture by James Watkins

Thousands of Shrewsbury Town fans arrived at Wembley today in glorious sunshine with high hopes that their beloved team would return to the county as heroes.

More than 20,000 made the big trip to London – by coach, train, car and minibus – for Town’s day of destiny knowing the whole of Shropshire was behind them.

Club bosses have urged supporters to sing their hearts out this afternoon to help the Shrews achieve their promotion dream and clinch a place in League One.

Fans boarded two special trains and 120 coaches for the early morning exodus to London while hundreds more headed south by car and minibus.

And crowds of blue and amber supporters began arriving at Wembley before lunchtime, brimming with confidence.

Stephen Palmer, 43, from Dawley Bank, Telford, who travelled to Wembley by train with his family this morning, said: “I’m really excited.

“We are definitely going to win. I think the score is going to be 2-1.”

David Medlicott, 52, from Ditherington, Shrewsbury, who was with his sons, Kevin, 10, and Craig, 17, said: “I’ve even had STFC shaved into the back of my head!

“I have been a town fan since I was 10 or 11. I feel this time it’s going to be lucky. I can just feel it in my bones.” Town secured a place in the League Two play-offs with a last-ditch away victory at Dagenham and Redbridge to leapfrog their opponents in the final game of the season.

They came back from the brink by cancelling out a 1-0 deficit and then winning a dramatic penalty shoot-out against Bury to set up a dream showdown against Gillingham.

Jon Harris, Shrewsbury Town general manager, said it was a massive occasion in the history of the club.

He said: “Everybody wants to be involved in days like today.”

Chris Smith, the Shrewsbury Town away travel club organiser, has urged people to show their support for the team and sing their hearts out.

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