JOSH CRAVES WEMBLEY JOY

BOLTON Wanderers midfielder Josh Sheehan is desperate to make it a case of third time lucky at Wembley this afternoon. 

- Dave Flett

Sheehan has endured the agony of losing 1-0 after extra-time twice under the world-famous arch with Newport County in the 2019 and 2021 League Two play-off finals, to Tranmere and Morecambe respectively.

After the passing of another two years, the Wales international will return to north-west London today as the Trotters take on Plymouth Argyle to decide who will lift the Papa Johns Trophy.

And Sheehan admits that past wounds will spur him on against the Pilgrims.

Reflecting on his previous two visits to the national stadium, he confessed: “They are painful memories, but ones you have to learn from. In both finals, it was a similar story - we could have won the games in 90 minutes.

“I remember standing there in the last one watching Morecambe lift the trophy and I took it all in, knowing that I never wanted to feel the same way again and that I would make sure the next time I was there it would be a positive experience for me and not a negative one.”