Spennymoor manager Jason Ainsley has told his players that they’re 90 minutes away from history when they go to Chorley’s Victory Park for their Vanarama National League North play off final on Sunday afternoon – backed by a travelling army of a thousand supporters.

Moors are set to complete a fairytale rise from the Northern League Second Division to the National League in just twelve years if they win against the league runners-up and set up games against big names such as Notts County, Yeovil, Chesterfield and Hartlepool next season.

“I had a good chat with the players after training on Thursday, and I told them that a chance like this might never come around again,” he said. “The thought of playing against teams like Yeovil and Notts County on equal terms is a big incentive.

“We’re going to Chorley on merit, and to win promotion. We’re not going there to make the numbers up, and be cannon fodder as some thought we would be at Brackley. We proved the doubters and those who don’t believe in us wrong last weekend.

“We must be wary of the fact that Chorley have a score to settle with us after we knocked them off the top of the table in our last home game of the season. They were heading for promotion until we scored a last-minute goal. We’ve earned the right to be there, and it’s going to be some occasion. I’m delighted for the club. The management, players, chairman, board and fans have all been outstanding, and I’m immensely proud. To be in a play-off final is an outstanding achievement by everybody concerned.

“We mustn’t now think that the job is done because we’ve beaten Chorley twice this season in the league. They are a fantastic outfit as they’ve proven in both games against us.

“We’ve got a real team spirit and togetherness in that dressing room, and it shone through at Brackley. I think I experienced every emotion going while I was sitting on the bench with chances being created at both ends. We need to do the same again on Sunday.

“It’s probably going to be a tight and nervous game, which hopefully will be won by a moment of magic and not a mistake. We’re going there in good form defensively, we haven’t conceded a goal in our last four matches, but we must be more clinical in Chorley’s box than we were against Brackley.”

Moors will be backed by around a thousand fans tomorrow afternoon. Over 700 are travelling across in a fleet of buses – provided free by chairman Brad Groves – and many more by their own means.

“It’s not bad for a small town like Spennymoor with a population of only 18,000. We had around 450 at Brackley on Sunday, but they sounded more than that. Everywhere I looked around the ground, there were people wearing black and white and cheering us on. There were some amazing scenes after Lewis Hawkins scored his penalty, everybody celebrated together on the pitch.

“There were more celebrations in Spennymoor later in the evening, but I was so emotionally drained that I couldn’t go. I was in tears at the final whistle on Sunday – I think I started something away because Mauricio Pochettino cried during the week as well!

“Apart from Wembley in the Vase final, we’ve never had this many supporters follow us to an away game. I know it’s a cliché, but they will be our twelfth man. Both teams play in black and white, so will feel that the ground is full of their own support!

“In all my time, maybe apart from the Vase final, I can’t recall the excitement and anticipation being at such a high level as this before. There is a really strong togetherness between the fans and the players.”

Ainsley would love to achieve promotion for chairman and owner Brad Groves.

“I’ve known Brad for nearly 20 years, and I feel blessed that he’s our chairman. I class him as a really close friend, and if ever there is a time for me to leave this club, then he would tell me. I haven’t signed a contract, everything is built on trust. I am really grateful to him, because he has done a huge amount for me professionally.

“Considering everything that he’s done for the club over the last ten years or so, then I really hope that we go through, it would be a great reward for him.”

Moors won both their games against Chorley during the regular league season. They won the league game at Victory Park by 2-1 in November with goals by Rob Atkinson and Glen Taylor, then Taylor scored a last minute winner in the return game at the Brewery Field on Easter Monday, a goal that knocked Chorley off the top of the table and opened the door for Stockport to win promotion.

Chorley started the season well, winning their first seven matches. They also reached the first round of the FA Cup losing to Doncaster, but they slipped back to the pack in the last three months of the season.

Moors have lost just one play off game in their history, which was their first ever against Darlington in the EvoStik First Division North play offs in 2015 when they lost 3-2 at Heritage Park.

Since then, they have won five play offs in normal or extra time, and another after a penalty shootout.

Defender Stephen Brogan and midfielder Jamie Chandler both missed training in midweek as a precaution, but striker Mark Anderson is expected to be fit. Andrew Johnson has made a great recovery from injury and could be included on the bench, but midfielder Shane Henry is definitely out because of a burst appendix.