Peterborough United at Wembley: The PT catches up with Ginge- the club's 'lucky mascot' under Chris Turner

Many children grow up loving football and wanting to get involved in the game but few get to experience the game quite like Mark Tracy- better known as Ginge- did back in 1992.

The then 14-year-old schoolboy spent Posh’s glorious 1991-92 season as the club’s unofficial mascot, travelling with Chris Turner’s side to almost every game in a season that ultimately ended in Posh winning promotion from the Third Division thanks to a 2-1 against Stockport in the play-off final at Wembley.

Such was Ginge’s bond with the team, he was even able to blag his way past security and onto the pitch and Wembley that day and- much to the astonishment of the PT’s photographers- managed to get in almost all of the team’s celebrations pictures.

This saw his face end up on the the front page of the Evening Telegraph (as it was then) as well as magazines and national newspapers.

It was the dream year for a boy, who had only just moved to the city from Luton, just wanted to be involved in local football and happened to attend Orton Longueville School (now Nene Park Academy), right next to the club’s training ground.”

Now, 32 years on from that day and with Posh heading to Wembley for a fourth time on Sunday (April 7), the PT caught up with Ginge to look back at that special day and season and what he is up to now, which includes being the Head of Scouting at Lincoln City!

How it started

"I wouldn’t even say I was a Posh fan at that time, I was new to the area having moved to the area from Luton only six months before. I was just a football fanatic and wanted to see some live football. I was more intrigued with looking out the window watching Posh train than doing my school work to be honest.

"I just offered my services to go and watch and to just be a dog’s body; to collect balls from stinging nettles, up trees, over fences, run and get water from the players. I just did anything anyone asked me to do. I was just there as a star-studded fan, I didn’t ask for any reward.

“Over that time, I struck up a really good connection with Chris Turner, Lil Fuccillo (Chris Turner’s assistant) and the players.

“The first few weeks of the season, they offered me a free ticket, which I was absolutely thrilled by and then after Wigan at home, we drew 0-0, and I happened to see Chris.

“He said ‘what did you think of that?’ I said brilliant to which he said ‘you’re lying because it was rubbish’ but then he said he’d like to treat me by coming with the first team to an away game. I ran home and then ran back to ask if I could go next Saturday to Birmingham away.

The first time

“When I got there at about half seven when I was told to be there for none, Chris ordered Keith Oakes (physio) to get me a tracksuit so I would look the same as the players. Fred Barber rummaged through the big skip to get me some boots and asked me to warm him up at St Andrews.

“Everyone must have thought I was a mascot but I was on the bench, I was in the team talks and got an unbelievably viewing into what a matchday would look like.

“It was an amazing day, we drew 1-1 and I told Chris it was probably the best day of my life.

“He shook my hand and said ‘welcome on board, as long as I’m manager of this club, you’re my new signing, you can come to all games with us.

“It was an absolutely unbelievable year for myself and the football club, going to Wembley for the first time, going up to the highest level we’d ever achieved. The players and staff were incredible. We were the total underdogs who came from nowhere, led unbelievable well by Chris Turner. He was a very special man, who made a very special team.

Wembley

Posh’s first Wembley in ended in success as Chris Turner’s side overcame Stockport, who had finished a place higher than them in the Third Division table in 1992, thanks to goals from King Ken Charlery.

Ginge had a unique perspective on the final!

He said: “Wembley went too quick, it was like a dream. We were all starstruck by the whole day.

“I couldn’t go with the team because they went down the week before. I was given a general admission ticket by the club but I was thinking to myself, I’ve been with the team at all the games home and away, how do I get to be with them on this day?

“I travelled with the Posh youth team, I escaped that group and started heading towards the tunnel. I got stopped by security who asked me where I was going, to which I replied, I’m going to see my dad, Chris Turner!

“That was my way of making sure I got to the team, I had a lot of front but I got my way to the tunnel and as every player got off the bus, they greeted me, which relaxed the security.

“I watched the game from behind the bench, ran up the steps when we won and got myself in the team photo and the rest is history!

“I came back on the team bus after we won, I told my mum I was going to Wembley she asked what time I’d be back, I said probably nine but I rolled in at 3am!

“We went back to the Swallow Hotel in Peterborough, stayed there for the majority of the evening and I was up at the crack of dawn to get back there for the breakfast before the parade the following day. It it my face up to see my face on all of the photos, especially the ET front page!

“The tour around the city was magnificent and the celebrations in Cathedral Square even better. It was a magical moment that went too quick. I was just so happy for everyone.

“All my friends back in Luton couldn’t believe it when they saw me in the middle of Peterborough United celebrations photos when they were reading Shoot and Match magazines!

“I was very, very lucky and I made the most of the opportunity. It was incredible, it was the most amazing time of my life.

“Chris Turner had time for everyone. He was a genuine man of the people who had a real affection for the city. He rose the belief, he did things Posh fans could only ever dream of."

Moving on

“I never wanted to be a professional footballer, I wanted to be a coach or a manager, so Chris introduced me to Posh Soccer, which was the football in the community team at the time. They were out delivering fun football sessions for all abilities between five and 14.

“From that I progressed to become a coach in the community and from there, I began to identify young talents. I started advancing through the club before leaving in 2003.

"I’m now Chief Scout for the Lincoln City first team, there is real excitement around the city of Lincoln right now!

"I’m really lucky and will never forget how it all started and that came from Chris Turner.”

Sunday...

“Hopefully Posh can record a good victory and it can be a great day out for all of the locals in the city. It’s a day to go and enjoy. You never know but Posh will consider themselves favourites with where they are in the league and hopefully, we can keep the unbeaten run at Wembley going.

"I’ll be there, I’m taking my friend’s son. It’ll be his first experience of Posh at Wembley and he’s dead excited for it.”