AT LAST, OUR CUP HEROES HAVE EARNED THEIR SPURS

“THE BEST moment ever – better than playing Tottenham”.

- Tony Bugby

That was how Marine chairman Paul Leary described that winning feeling as his Marine players and supporters partied with him.

Goals from Fin Sinclair-Smith and Jack Bainbridge had put the Mariners in command of the NPL Premier play-off final at Macclesfield, Kane Drummond’s reply not enough as Neil Young’s side held on for glory.

A second promotion in three seasons has elevated the Mariners from Step 4 to the National League North for the first time in the club’s history.

And Leary, who has been associated with Marine for 45 years as a volunteer and club official, said this achievement topped hosting Jose Mourinho’s Premier League Tottenham in the FA Cup in 2021.

The financial rewards from that cup run have proved transformational to Marine, who invested in an artificial pitch and a major upgrade of facilities at the Marine Travel Arena.

And now there’s even more to celebrate.

“The cup run changed our life forever as playing Tottenham gave us the resources to be a bigger and better football club,” Leary told The NLP.