FA Cup Quarter Final: Grimsby Town away at Brighton
Can the Mariners make it through to the semi-finals?
Grimsby Town fans are hoping their team can make it even further into their FA Cup run as they play Brighton in the Quarter Finals this afternoon.
It's their first time they've made it this far in the competition since 1939.
Over 4,500 Mariners supporters are making their way to the Brighton & Hove Albion's Amex stadium. The tickets sold out after season ticket holders queued up following the end of the game against Newport County, with some tickets available later online. The total ticket allocation was 4,621.
To get to the Quarter Finals the Mariners sealed a 2-1 victory away to Premier League side Southampton to become the first fourth-tier side to reach the last eight since Cambridge United in 1989/90.
Paul Hurst’s men have also become the first team ever to beat teams from higher divisions in five consecutive rounds from the First Round.
Fans will be eager to see if more history can be made today.
Mascots:
The Mariners will have two mascots representing them this afternoon. Eight-year-old Ronnie Gladwell has a special family connection. He's the great great grandson of former Town captain Alec ‘Ginger’ Hall who captained the Mariners in the last Quarter-Final in the FA Cup back in 1939.
The second is eight-year-old Harry Poole who won the Mariners Trust’s competition to be one of the mascots. He has been going to games throughout this season after getting his first season ticket last summer.
To get to their first quarter final in 84 years the Mariners have beaten Plymouth, Cambridge, Burton and Luton before their shock fifth-round win at Southampton.
Last season, they bounced straight back to the English Football League following relegation with wins against Notts County, Wrexham and Solihull in the National League play-offs, all after extra time.
Grimsby boss Paul Hurst says he's praying for another miracle at Premier League high-flyers Brighton.
The Mariners became the first club in FA Cup history to knock out five clubs from a higher division when securing a stunning upset at Southampton in the previous round.
The Sky Bet League Two club's 2-1 win at St Mary's Stadium saw them become just the sixth team from the fourth tier or lower to reach the quarter-finals since 1959.
Hurst said:
"I used the word miracle before the last game and we're praying for another one.
"It's a bit surreal, but at the same time I don't think it has sunk in.
"It will only be the end of the season or in another 10 years when you look back and you look at other quarter-finals perhaps and you think 'we were there'."
Hurst said today's challenge against Brighton was "a different level again".
Roberto De Zerbi's side have been one of the Premier League's stand-out performers this season, climbing to seventh in the table after one defeat in their last nine league games and, in the eyes of Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, playing "wonderful football".
"It's a little bit frightening in truth, having watched them," Hurst said. "We've done a lot of work on them and you start to wonder how you set up against them.
"We've got an idea, but the reality is a lot of Premier League teams have and they've been second best on most occasions."
Hurst joked he had warned his players before showing them video footage of De Zerbi's side earlier in the week.
"I'm not trying to scare them, but we went through some of the footage and I warned them it was an 18 certificate," he added. "It was one of the scariest things they'll watch!"
"We're trying to find that balance where nothing's a surprise on Sunday but at the same time, trying to be a bit light-hearted about it. It's my job to get the balance right."
William Douglas is from Docks Academy in Grimsby which will be screening the game although he'll be at the match today:
"Excited doesn't justify the emotions really, it's like being a little boy at Christmas.
"I'm sure all the fans around Grimsby Town and around the world are cherishing the moment because they don't' come along often.
"I mean it's the 1930's when we were last in an FA Cup Quarter Final and then I think we were in a top division. So the fact that we are a league two side having beaten five teams from higher divisions - I'm pinching myself".
Other fans told us how they're feeling:
"I've been a Grimsby Town fan for many years, I've worked at the club myself when I was younger.
"This is the biggest and best thing I've seen so far. It's made the town better - the football club doing what they've done has brought us together."
Terry is looking to get fans together tomorrow who can't make it to the match:
"The fans that can't go to Brighton we want to bring the community together really for the football club.
"We just want to bring people together in our area, I think all the pressure is on Brighton"
If Grimsby Town can upset the odds this afternoon they'd be the only team from outside the top 3 division ever to make the semi final of the FA Cup.
Harry Haddocks will be allowed into the Amex stadium at Brighton but drums and musical instruments will not.
Southampton caused a stir saying Harry Haddocks wouldn't be allowed at their previous match before reversing the decision
The players will be wearing their pink third kit and kick off is at 2.15pm.