Papa Keith is focused on taking Tranmere to Wembley glory

But it won't a pizza he'll be feasting on if League Two Rovers return to Birkenhead with the silverware.

The Prenton Park boss has had a pizza shop named after him in Wirral to mark the occasion, but when asked if he would be calling in for a Pepperoni on the way home, he said: "Peroni more like!"

Swash-buckling Tranmere arrive at the national stadium this weekend in fine form - two points off the top of the League Two summit and having already dumped two League One sides out of the competition to reach Sunday's final.

Hill's priority, of course, is securing promotion for the club this season, but that doesn't dampen his appetite to win a trophy this weekend, nor that of his players.

He said: "We don't practise failure. I'm exactly the same as any manager. You're preparing your team to win a football match. I have a lot of enjoyment in my life but we're often governed in the way that we think by whether you win or lose. But when you get to a final, no one remembers the losers do they?"

Hill arrived at Prenton Park during the knockout stages of the tournament and conceded that the club's long run in the competition had benefited his own development plans.

He said: "It was a priority to play a certain way and integrate the players into my philosophy, my methods and the way that I want us to play.

"It's been integral because we didn't have, in the early stages, a lot of training ground practice because we were playing every Saturday and Tuesday.

"I said at the time when I came in, it doesn't need open heart surgery, because Dawesy (Ian Dawes) and Parky (Andy Parkinson) had done a marvellous job with the group of players and continue to do so.

"But there's certain things that I wanted to slightly change to make us better and add to how well it was going.

"I think the Papa John's Trophy has allowed me to do that and transnationally we've taken that from the Papa John's and the training ground into our league form as well.

"It's created a winning culture."

If Rovers are to leave Wembley with the trophy they will have to do it without talismanic striker James Vaughan, who underwent a knee operation on Wednesday.

Centre back Sid Nelson is also ruled without with injury and the match will also come too early for midfielder-turned-right-back Otis Khan.

Hill didn't have much to share about Vaughan's operation, adding : "I've got to catch up with him and the doc and we will get our feedback from the surgeon. I can't give you anything other than he's actually had the operation."

Sunday's final will certainly have a different feel to any other such occasion that Rovers have appeared in, with Covid-19 restrictions preventing any supporters from entering the stadium, instead having to watch from afar.

That has been a consistent theme during Hill's short reign at Prenton Park, but the former Bolton boss doesn't think it has proved an obstacle to building a bond with the fans.

He said: "I don't think you have to be visible to build a relationship. My daughter lives in Australia, she's lived there for the last six years and I have a real strong relationship with her, as I do with all my family.

"For me, it's difficult, but we have built a strong relationship and we are fighting and trying to be successful on behalf of those supporters.

"I certainly realise the importance of our supporters. They're special and unique to this football club and I'll know that they'll be there on Sunday.

"We've already felt the supporters' presence with videos during the week sent through with good luck messages.

"I believe there's a strong relationship between this team and between me and the supporters already."

"I think it's special that we're at Wembley and these players get a little bit of acknowledgement, because they're doing ever so well."

The Papa John's Trophy Final - Sunderland v Tranmere Rovers takes place at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, March 14. Kick off 3pm.

Follow the action with the Globe's live match blog direct from the national stadium.