Watchin' all over the world: Fans from Samoa to Shrewsbury ready for Wembley

@ShrewsFansUSA

Time of final: 9am

My name is Tom Elcock. Back in the UK my parents Keith and Sally go to the matches.

Over here in the USA we have quite the gang who come round to cheer for the Shrews every Saturday morning. I have two sons (Evan and Dylan) who always watch with their friends who live on our street. The biggest fans who come around include Anne, Rowan (Shrews superfan), Jay, Melinda, Little D, Liam, Soren, Ian, Vivian, Quinn, Alayna, Colin, Tim, Jeremy, and Barry. Depending on the weekend, the attendance can vary.

We live in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Cold winters and nice summers. A nice place to live. Most of our crew live on 14th Avenue. It is like a Shrews oasis here with kids running around in Shrews tops and chanting about Toto and Shaun Whalley.

I planned a surprise 40th birthday weekend for my wife back in October and it just happens that the day we fly back is the day of the final. This means I won’t be at Wembley, but I will find a way to watch the match and keep my marriage in tact at the same time! Lincoln will bring a big following which will add to the atmosphere, but I think we can do it. 2-1 Salop.

I started watching in 1989 and have been dedicated ever since. This year has been great with the ability to watch the matches live on iFollow.

My favourite player of all time is a difficult one, but I am going to say Dean Spink for his commitment to the club and never-say-die attitude. I remember a great performance he had in a 5-2 away win at Wigan. Of the current crop I love Ogogo for the same reasons.

I support Town because it’s in the family. My grandfather went to the Meadow and my dad took me for my first live match.

@ShrewsArg

Time of final: 11am

My name is Ignacio Juanche (19). Now living in Buenos Aires, but I´m from Puerto Madryn.

This season is unbelievable, it is a dream moment.

The Checkatrade Trophy final is something we need to enjoy, especially with it being at Wembley. From my point of view, it’s the best stadium in the world (also I had the opportunity to visit it on my travel to London).

I will be a lot of kilometres far away but supporting like all of those who have the possibility to be there.

My prediction? 1-0 with a Stefan Payne goal. Let’s continue supporting this beautiful team and dreaming with Paul Hurst, hoping for a great ending.

This passion for Shrewsbury was born many years ago. Here in Argentina I support a team that is not a big one.

My team here is Club Atlético Tigre and maybe that is why I got in touch with Town. They are different from the rest and due to this I think I love them.

It is difficult to explain but incredible. PlayStation was crucial in this situation. There I could know better the players and the league. Furthermore, another good moment was when I could see the first live match on Argentinian TV.

It was against Chelsea in the Capital One Cup. Since then, this passion started increasing more and more. As a result, in my first trip to Europe in 2015, we travelled to Shrewsbury only one day to watch a game.

My brother and my aunt came with me. It was a friendly match against Cardiff City where I saw my favourite player, Ryan Woods. It was a late draw thanks to James Collins. But, the best was to know the city, the stadium and lovely people. I remember Sib from the shop and other fans. Of course the jersey is in my closet.

@FranShrewsbury

Time of final: 4pm

My name is Laure Béhue, I’m 28 years old and I’m the only one in my family and my relatives to follow and support Shrewsbury.

I live in Le Mans (Sarthe), France.

I will follow the final on the internet streaming to have the images. I will do the French live on the Twitter account @FranShrewsbury.

I see the Shrews winning with a goal from Carlton Morris! I have been supporting Shrewsbury for almost six years now.

My favourite player is Abu Ogogo for his game, his presence, his charisma, his mentality. However, the first player who impressed me was Jon Taylor.

I supported Town a bit by chance at the beginning.

Loving football since childhood, going to the stadium every weekend (to encourage the club of my city, Le Mans FC, even in DH (6th French Division) during the administrative relegation (today Le Mans FC) is leader National 2 (4th French Division). Watching the games on TV or on the internet, I came across a match of the club and I’m like falling in love with the club.

I started to get interested in the history of the club and its present. Very quickly, I created the twitter account @FranShrewsbury to make known the club which is very little known in France.

@pacificpaddy

Time of final: 3am

My name is Paddy Pringle

I live in Apia, Samoa (a wonderful country in the South Pacific about 10,000 miles from Wembley...)

The Checkatrade Trophy final is 3am kick-off on a Monday morning, plus Samoans are obsessed with rugby not football, so my options are a bit limited! I’ll try to watch on the internet if the connection is good enough, if not I’ll be listening on the radio.

I have supported Shrewsbury since 1984. I lived in the area in the 80s and my dad took me to me to the Gay Meadow, I’ve been hooked ever since.

My favourite player as a kid was Mickey Brown. In more recent years Ryan Woods and Connor Goldson were both terrific players and Town through and through.

@SwedishShrews

Time of final: 4pm

My name is Kenneth Lövgren.

I am from Bollebygd, Sweden, and I have supported Town since 1983.

My favourite players are Steve Cross and Mickey Brown

I will watch on iFollow and, if that doesn’t work, any pub in Gothenburg or Borås how has Sky Sports. My prediction is 1-0 Town.

Travelling UK on an Interrail card in 1983, stayed two days in lovely Shrewsbury and visited Gay Meadow. I wrote Graham Tuner a letter and in September 1984 even after he left I spent a week with STFC as a part of my coaching education. Fantastic reception from all at STFC. Saw two games vs Notts County and Bolton W.

Can’t wait until my next visit to your lovely town. For the fourth year in a row my best friend Stefan Lundgren will join me at the Bury game in April. What’s new this year, that’s our adults sons Erik and Marcus will join us for the first time. Great father and son weekend.

What a season, can’t remember last time we had one like it.

@ShrewsburyTR

Time of final: 5pm

Our names are Alperen Davran, Berk Açıkel and Berkay Baybo and we are from Hatay in Turkey.

I (Alperen) will watch the Checkatrade Trophy final in my home with my friends. I think it will be a 2-0 Town win.

I have been a Shrewsbury fan for nearly five years.

My favourite player is Alex Rodman. He is my superhero

I became a fan on July 13, 2013. It was the Shrewsbury-Galatasaray match I saw.

I had never heard of Shrewsbury and started to investigate.

Often, the lion mascot was the same as my club Galatasaray. I’m a regular Football Manager player.

I chose Shrewsbury and this club has meant very enjoyable summers for me.

@TorontoShrews

Time of final: 10am

My name is Anthony Lamb, I’m 27, Salopian born and bred, from Madeley. Moved to Toronto, Canada, with my wife Elizabeth in 2013.

I’ll be watching the Checkatrade Trophy final from the comfort of my sofa.

I’ve got the day booked off work and will be making a day of it! Predicting a 3-1 win for the mighty Town! Rodman, Nolan and Payne to score.

I’ve supported Town since I was about 15-16 if I remember rightly, I flitted between a few teams as a kid. Born from a Yorkshire family on my father’s side I was originally a Leeds fan, then went on to supporting Man United (influenced by my older brother) and later Wolves, before I finally came to being a Shrewsbury fan.

I think I’d gotten to an age where I was finally able to understand football properly and get involved with it, especially with going to the matches with friends, whereas before it was mostly either on the TV or watching Wolves reserves at the Bucks Head.

It is hard to pick an all-time favourite player really. David Edwards will always be up there for me, he’s Salop through and through as far as I’m concerned.

I still follow Connor Goldson, he’s doing us proud right now with Brighton. And I’ve got a soft spot for Jermaine Grandison, he’s involved in music these days. Great guy!

This season I’m a big fan of Alex Rodman though, such a classy and intelligent guy on and off the pitch, very skilled and nimble. He’s brilliant.

We have so far only met two other Salop fans out here (Rich Scott and Dan Rouse, from Bridgnorth & Shrewsbury respectively.)

We all unfortunately live in different parts of the Toronto area and only recently discovered each other, so we have only met up once (and got Rich very drunk), but we keep regular contact over the games and there’ll be many more meet-ups to come.

It had been a long few years without being able to watch the Town games, but I think I’ve only missed one league game this season so it’s brilliant to be able to get involved again.

Props to the EFL for the iFollow service, it’s spot-on for me.

The club and Shropshire Star do a great job with all media stuff, especially all the interviews and behind the scenes.

Hopefully this is our year!

@Shrewsbury_Br

Time of final: 11am

My name is Carlos Alexandre da Mota Ferreira Júnior and my friends Igor Lafaiete and Lucas Rocha are also fans.

I am from Caruaru, Pernambuco, Brazil.

Here in Brazil, it is difficult to keep up with the Shrewsbury games. I will go and look for a website on the internet.

Sad reality.

Finals are always very disputed. We should not enter as favourites to win because we have to respect Lincoln. But 2-0 for Shrewsbury will be my guess for the game.

I became a fan of Town almost two years ago.

It is impossible to say my favourite player, but Dean Henderson showed that he is more than a player, he is a supporter, so I choose him.

I saw Shrewsbury in a video game and I decided to know the history of the club. I fell in love, and I’m here now doing “part” of the club with this message.

I want to ask them to bring the title to us, because it will be very important. They will be marked forever in the history of Shrewsbury! Thank you very much for bringing such joy to us Shrewsbury fans!