We start the build up to our replay of the 2011 Trophy win on Saturday by recalling the memories of people who were involved on that big day.

For the "In the Dying Seconds" book, published in 2013, keeper Sam Russell spoke to RS. Here's Sam's account of that big day.

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Sam Russell – “I would have taken a penalty”

We nearly didn’t get to Wembley, because we gave away a couple of scrappy goals in the first half of the semi final against Gateshead. As one of the older, experienced players in the team, I did my best to calm everybody down in the changing room at half time and told them not to panic, but I had a nagging doubt that we’d blown it.

The next goal in the game was going to be crucial and fortunately, Marc Bridge-Wilkinson scored it and that gave us the momentum to go on and win the game. It was one of the best 45 minutes of football we played that season and we came back and won 3-2, Hatchy scoring twice.

For the second leg, we went to Gateshead in order to keep the game tight and not give anything away. My job was to sweep things up at the back and slow the game down. That certainly worked, as we restricted them to very few chances. We worked on time wasting tactics in training during the week, so in stoppage time at the end of the second half with a place at Wembley seemingly seconds away, we were awarded a free kick just inside our half.

I always took the free kicks inside our half and the idea was that one of the lads would roll the ball slowly back to me and I would kick it straight downfield when it was still moving slightly. Illegal, I know, but it wastes a few seconds while the referee orders the kick to be retaken and the ball comes back to me. Anyway, the ball was rolled to me as we had practiced and I blasted it downfield. The ref, as he was supposed to do, spotted that the ball was still rolling, blew up and then told me that he was going to add on another two minutes of stoppage time! We protested, but the ref ignored us, as if to say serves you right! I think that incident just shredded a few more nerves amongst our travelling fans, because they’d been whistling frantically for the end of the game since the 85^th minute. But when the ref finally did blow his final whistle, it was a fantastic feeling to celebrate in front of all our travelling fans, it was unbelievable.

For me, it was my first time as a player at Wembley. I saw Boro play at Wembley in their cup finals and when I was at Rochdale, I missed out when they reached the play off final because of injury, so I went on the directors’ coach with the other injured players and just helped myself to the free wine and food!

As a player, you don’t mind which competition you’re playing in at Wembley, because playing at the national stadium is a great achievement. The build up to the final was brilliant. Chan (Jamie Chandler) and I really got the fans involved as much as possible and they responded. As two local lads, we seemed to get more attention than some of the other players and we didn’t mind. We were pretty confident going into the game, because we’d finished the season well and we had more momentum than Mansfield. There were no last minute injuries or anything like that to disrupt us.

As for the match, I was in goal at the other end watching us hit the post and bar and have one cleared off the line. I don’t think I’d had a touch. My mind was starting to turn to penalties.

All of us had practiced taking penalties in training the day before. I’d taken one and blasted it into the roof of the net, so I was going to volunteer to take a penalty in the shootout if necessary. I would happily have taken the sixth penalty, or one of the earlier penalties if the boss asked me.

I looked up at the stadium clock and it showed 119 minutes when we had a throw in on our left hand side. Aaron Brown had a good long throw in him and we pushed everyone forward because this was our last chance to win the game, in front of our own fans. When Tommy got his head to the ball, I thought it was going to loop into the net, but instead it hit the bar and there was Chris Senior hanging around to head the ball in.

Everyone went crazy, including Coops – I saw him run onto the field and join the celebrations in the corner! And he was the one who usually told the lads to calm down! I just ran up and down my penalty area, waving my arms, in front of the silent Mansfield end.

Mansfield got a free kick as soon as play restarted and I screamed at my defenders to pick up their men. There was no way I was going to concede a goal and stop us from winning. The free kick wasn’t a good one though, we managed to clear it without a problem and the ref immediately blew for time.

We all ran in different directions celebrating. I managed to catch up to Paul Arnison, jumped on him and we screamed at each other. Then we ran towards our fans to celebrate. I can’t describe how I felt, I was just so delighted at winning.

I climbed the steps towards the Royal Box for the presentation of the Trophy and medals, I looked towards our fans and then I realised how much the victory meant to them and to me. There was a sea of celebrating fans in black and white and we really milked it when we lifted the Trophy – and why not?

Everybody hugged each other in the dressing room afterwards, but the celebrations didn’t last that long because we were completely and totally knackered. I don’t suppose I could blame tiredness for dropping the Trophy, much to my embarrassment!

The Trophy was passed around the lads in the dressing room and when it came to my turn, I lifted it up, but the lid suddenly dropped off! I thought it was screwed on! To make matters worse, the little brass man on the top broke off. Within five minutes, Tommo had told everyone that I’d dropped the Trophy and Craig Stoddart from the Northern Echo had heard about it. So then all the jokes about “typical keeper dropping it” started. We couldn’t show it like that four nights later when we celebrated with the fans, so Tommo sorted out a plastic figure to go on the top and then he returned it to the FA for a proper repair. The fans sang “Sammy dropped the cup” at the celebrations.

We all went our separate ways after the Trophy final and I just went with some friends to a pub near to Wembley. I was emotionally shattered and I just wanted to sit and have a couple of drinks, talking about the day with my mates.

We made up for it though at the Civic Reception four days later. We mixed with the fans and had a really memorable night. There was a great feeling of togetherness – I don’t think I got out of bed for three days afterwards!