Will: I can be a hero and fire the Cats to glory

WILL GRIGG can pinpoint the moment he discovered the “fire” that helped him get to a Wembley cup final.

It was when striker Grigg was a teenager, recovering from a leg break, “falling out of love” with football and then being released by Birmingham.

“At 15 or 16, I didn’t love it like I had. I’d been at the academy since I was seven and there was pressure,” he recalled.

“But, as soon as I left Birmingham, that sort of fire in the belly came back. It was the worst two weeks in my life when I left... but, in terms of getting my focus and fire back, it was probably the best thing that ever happened to me.

“Walking out at Wembley is everyone’s dream. The path started that day.”

Northern Ireland striker Grigg has been doing his best to terrify defences ever since, including four promotions with Brentford, MK Dons and Wigan.

That’s what spawned the famous terrace song Will Grigg On Fire, which became a Wigan and Euros sensation in 2016, and reached the ITunes top 10.

But now he is set for his biggest challenge.

Grigg says the clash with Pompey is about creating special memories for fans and showing the Wearsiders are on the way back up.

“This place was in a rut. It got into a really bad place. It was going to be hard to get out of,” Grigg said, of the Black Cats’ consecutive relegations.

Grigg said: “I always knew I was joining a big club, but, once you get into the bubble, see the training ground, meet the fans, you realise how big it really is.

“The expectation is massive. At some clubs, you can play on a Saturday and then step away from it, but here it’s so in your face.

“I was sold on the ambition and the vision for the future. I think we’re in a very different place to where it’s been the last few years.”

That ambition meant boss Jack Ross being told to target the Checkatrade Trophy from the start of the season.

Grigg added: “Sometimes clubs sacrifice cups for league situations. We have not done that.

“For us, we have got ourselves a great day ahead with 40,000 fans – and we don’t want to disappoint.

“I personally have not been to Wembley and I don’t think many of the boys have.

“Fans here have memories from Sunderland’s last cup final in 2014 – football is about giving fans great days.

“These are the things you remember in your career and throughout your life as a fan.”

And you can be sure Grigg’s song will be revived down Wembley Way if the Mackems win.