TIME TO TURNER HEADS AGAIN

PERCHED on his bed, Ben Turner is logged into Zoom talking the virtually assembled media through his goal at Wembley – a one-yard goalmouth scramble that pulled Cardiff City level with Liverpool in the League Cup final in 2012.

- MATT BADCOCK

“It came to the back post, I fouled Dirk Kuyt, got away with it and then nutmegged Pep Reina with my right foot – they’re the facts of it!” Turner laughs.

The 31-year-old Notts County defender is great value for the entertaining hour-long press conference ahead of today’s game under the arch against Harrogate Town.

Among the many topics, Turner talks about the importance of not being fazed about playing at Wembley “just look at the grass, not up”, how the Magpies have galvanised their hurting support, the danger of Harrogate’s high-intensity pressing game, and how he’s neglecting the barbers until after the final.

Turner won promotion to the Championship with Cardiff City and played more than 30 times in the Premier League for the Bluebirds.

And he says helping Notts back into the Football League will mean just as much as that promotion.

“The best place to be in football is to be with a group of people and at a club where everyone is pulling in the same direction,” Turner says.

“I can fully, 100 per cent say, that’s where I’m at. It’s great to go into work every day to that environment because that is what we have. It’s all about the club and the group and can we move forward?

“Then personally, what has become apparent as I’ve become an older player is, I have to put in more work now off the training pitch with recovery, lots of stretching, seeing different people to keep myself able to compete with the lads who are ten years younger than me.

“So I’m doing more than I’ve ever done for less money, less returns, at a lower level. But, do you know what? I love it.