Shrewsbury captain Mat Sadler has endured the Wembley Blues

A dedicated Blue Nose, born into a family of ardent Birmingham City fans, the Brummie can recall almost every kick of his first Wembley experience as a wide-eyed 10-year-old fan in City’s Auto Windscreens Shield win in 1995 – a year before Town’s first-ever game under the Twin Towers.

Blues’ only visit to the new Wembley was their famous 2011 League Cup win over Arsenal. Obafemi Martins grabbed a late winner. It was the very same season Alex McLeish’s side were relegated from the top flight.

Sadler was sold to Watford in 2008. Both he and his dad did not attend the Wembley showpiece three short years later.

Tomorrow, with Abu Ogogo out injured, captain Sadler will lead out his other beloved club at Wembley, Shrewsbury Town.

“The first time was 1991 when I was very, very young (6),” explained Town’s club captain. “I didn’t go to that game, I listened on the radio, my dad went and we won 3-2 against Tranmere in this competition.

“In ‘95 we went in the Auto Windscreen Shield. That was class. We took nearly 50,000 Birmingham fans, that was a great day and we won with the first ever Golden Goal. The first time it ever won a game. Paul Tait, a Blue Nose, scored it.

“As you can imagine it was class, brilliant. I remember all the build-up and just how much of a showpiece day it was.

“It’s exactly the same competition now, yes different clubs in a different format which has added something different.

“But there was 80,000 that day, however many thousand last season, this season there’ll be 45,000. People turn up in their droves whatever format.

“At the end is a chance to play at the national stadium. A stadium probably up with the two or three most famous in the world.”

Sadler hopes to create special memories and pieces of nostalgia tomorrow against Lincoln City, especially as the centre-half does not hold fond memories of 2011 and was not part of the sell-out 88,000 crowd.

“I didn’t go to that one,” he added thoughtfully.

“I’d left before that so I was probably in a mental place where I’d fell out of love with them a little bit.

“I didn’t quite know how to react to leaving the club. I’d go if they got to the final now. But it was the same manager (then), a similar set of players I wanted to be part of so there was probably an element of disappointment that I wasn’t there, that’s why I didn’t go.

“Looking back now I’m chuffed they won it. Friends and family also went. My dad didn’t because he was feeling the pain with me. He was on board with me with that.

“I couldn’t watch or celebrate in the way a 10-year-old boy did in 1995, that’s for sure. It was a different mindset.”

Sadler has no regrets but it is clear that the event is not a fond memory of his.

Then still a left-back, he has now been revitalised under Paul Hurst with Shrewsbury. Club captain and Mr Consistent at the heart of Salop’s defence as part of a formidable pairing with Toto Nsiala.

The 33-year-old is a wise character and known as Hurst and the staff’s link to the dressing room.

He is well aware of Shrewsbury’s bleak Wembley history, as well as the footballing politics that has kept a section of supporters away from the final.

“It’s my first time involved in a Wembley final as not a fan,” he added. “That comes at 33. You sometimes think ‘I wonder if I will play at Wembley?’ Fingers crossed I’m in the team tomorrow!

“For those reasons, for family, for looking back on your career with nostalgia once you’ve finished, that’s great and I’m really, really excited for those reasons.

“I see it in the sense that I really do love playing for Shrewsbury.

“You get to know people in the town, what it means for them and the excitement that’s built around this season anyway.You want to give experiences to those people that cheer and support you like the ones I had.

“There’s a definite element of pride. We’ve lost there three times already but we want to put that right. We want to be the team that can do that. I’d be really chuffed with that.

“We’ve got to put to bed the fact we’ve never won at Wembley Stadium. The chance that we have another opportunity to get the monkey off the club’s back is a big, big one for us.

“They don’t come around very often. Three in the club’s history, how long have we been going? One hundred-odd years.”

Town have sold around 12,000 tickets for the final, with their League Two rivals, the Imps, shifting more than double that amount.

“You take your wife, girlfriend or whatever for granted,” said the defender, who has made 168 appearances across his two spells with Town. “You naturally do.

“But sometimes, if you step out of it and look, you think ‘bloody hell, what a great time of our lives this was’.

“I’d probably suggest as a supporter it might be worth standing above it. Having a look down and thinking ‘what a great time this is – let’s really throw everything behind it.’

“I’m not saying that they’re not. But I do understand the competition having bad press at times. Here and now I urge as many as possible to be there and make it a carnival.”

In-form Lincoln, sixth in League Two and on a six-game unbeaten run, are – like Town – managed by one of the brightest young prospects in English management. Danny Cowley, whose brother Nicky works as his No.2, is hunting for back-to-back promotions.

“We’re all aware that they’re on an upward trajectory,” added Sadler. “They’re used to winning football matches, they’ve had two seasons of it week in, week out. They’re on a good run at the moment.

“They’ve got good, experienced players that have played in League One and above. They won’t be daunted and there’s a real momentum behind them with their attendances and the amount of people that turned up to the round previously.

“They’re a good group of players playing for a manager who’s a little bit different with some of the things he does. One of these real young, forward-thinking managers.

“We won’t be taking them lightly that’s for sure. They’re a good group of players and rightly they deserve the accolades they’re getting.

“They’re right in the mix for promotion. It’ll be really tough.”