Once I scored my first, they kept flowing - Nevitt
Elliott Nevitt has already achieved something most footballers, and certainly all strikers, dream of - scoring a hat-trick at Wembley.
The feat, achieved three years ago playing for tier-nine side Warrington Rylands in the FA Vase final, has not only put the 27-year-old in a select group but provided an easy starter for conversations with any future grandchildren.
And, as Nevitt returns to the national stadium with Crewe for Sunday's League Two play-off final, he is hoping more fantastic tales follow.
Those three goals have already started quite a journey, catapulting Liverpool-born Nevitt from the regional non-league scene to professional football, and a debut with Tranmere Rovers in August 2021, at the age of 24.
Goals were inevitably harder to come by for Nevitt, who managed eight in 45 appearances in his first season before three goals in five days against Crewe 18 months ago piqued Alex boss Lee Bell's interest and led to the striker joining the Railwaymen in January 2023.
Nevitt said Bell has been "brilliant" to deal with and the camaraderie with all the back-room staff has played a big part in helping him to find his best form.
"All the staff are brilliant - you can have a laugh, and be serious with them, and I think that's important," Nevitt told BBC Radio Stoke.
And Nevitt has needed that supportive environment after failing to score in his first 26 games before finally breaking that drought against Newport County in his third league appearance this season.
"I never doubted that [I would score,] I was just waiting for my first one," he said.
"It took a while, and it was hard, but I always knew I could do it.
"Once I did they just kept flowing."
'Hopefully I'll score a hat-trick again'
And flow they did - with 18 coming so far - as Nevitt spearheads Crewe's promotion charge.
His 16 league goals - including four in the 90th minute or later - have helped garner 28 points as Crewe defied a late-season wobble to secure their play-off place.
"Last year was tough and the fans stuck with me," Nevitt said.
"This year, just to repay them with 18 goals is massive.
"Every time I go on the pitch I believe I can score and help the team win.
"Some of the last-minute winners and equalisers are probably some of my favourite times. It's for the club and not just me personally and it's got us here."
One of Nevitt's last-gasp efforts in the final game of the regular season won the point that rubber-stamped Crewe's top-seven finish and, although he drew a blank in the two legs of their memorable semi-final win over Doncaster Rovers, he admits he "couldn't sleep" in the aftermath of the victory "thinking about what the lads had done and achieved."
Crawley, who finished one point and one place below the Alex in the final table, are now the last obstacle to overcome at Wembley.
"All the lads are really excited - we can't wait for Sunday to come," Nevitt said.
"We're all proud and happy to do it together - to play at Wembley is some achievement."
That is very true. So is scoring at Wembley. Scoring a hat-trick is off the chart.
Nevitt has already done that but he said this trip to the national stadium is "completely different".
"Hopefully I'll score a hat-trick again," he said.
"Or even one. I don't mind not scoring - if we win it'll be the best feeling ever."
Winning would mean promotion and achieving another thing a lot of footballers dream of.
