STRIKER Tony Thorpe is counting on Kevin Keegan's inspirational qualities to lead Fulham to play-off glory. Keegan, Fulham's chief operating officer, sacked his former England team-mate Ray Wilkins and took charge of team affairs just 48 hours before today's match at Craven Cottage. The ex-Newcastle boss delivered his pre-match pep-talk after Friday's training session and urged the players to make the most of home advantage in the first leg. We will do it, I've got no doubts at all, said Thorpe. It's true what people say - Kevin Keegan has got the Midas touch. There's a certain aura about him. You believe in him and he is an inspirational figure. Everybody feels in awe of Kevin Keegan and I know all the players have an overwhelming desire to do well for him. I'm convinced we will beat Grimsby and go on to win the play-offs. I don't think the fans will have a problem with what's happened at the club this week and I can't see why they wouldn't get behind us. It's important that we make a bright start to the game and get the fans behind us right from the off. They can play a big part, we need to get a good atmosphere going because that really helps in these big games." Keegan is already preaching the cavalier, attacking style that made his Newcastle sides so exciting to watch. "He has told us to get at teams a bit more," revealed Thorpe. "Both ourselves and Grimsby had a poor finish to the season and we need to get the old fire back in our performances that we've been missing in the last couple of weeks. Thorpe, one of Wilkins' big money signings from Luton earlier this season, admits that this week's events have rocked the club: No-one really expected it. We all feel for Ray, because he's such a gentleman and, after all, has done a great job by leading us to the play-offs. What's important now is that we do well for the club, put the Ray Wilkins affair behind us and think about thanking him at the end of the season. The striker was part of the Luton Town side that finished third in Division Two last season but were beaten by Crewe in the play-offs and he has warned his Craven Cottage team-mates that losing in the play-offs is one of the bitterest pills any footballer can swallow. I'm the only player in the team who has been involved in the play-offs before, he said. It is a lottery and is all about luck and performing well on that particular day. I've not had many low points in my career, but losing to Crewe last year was so hard to take. "It showed with what's happened at Luton this year, as they just about avoided relegation, that it's very difficult to pick yourself up after such a disappointment.

WE'LL GIVE THEM A RUN FOR THEIR MONEY Grimsby Plan A Mugging   GRIMSBY boss Alan Buckley has told his team to forget about Fulham's much-publicised troubles and concentrate on mugging the Craven Cottage millionaires. Buckley admits he was staggered by the timing of counterpart Ray Wilkins' dismissal, just 48 hours before the sides meet in the first leg of their Division Two play-off semi-final. But he has urged his players to forget about the Londoners' woes and concentrate on booking a return trip to Wembley, where they beat Bournemouth in the Auto Windscreens Shield last month. ''It is of no consequence to Grimsby Town what happens at Fulham,'' he said. ''All we can do is the same as we would have done anyway - to prepare the players as best we can. We know they are a millionaire club, a very high-profile club. They spent more money than anybody else in the division. You can see that with the quality of their players. ''That's an added incentive for our players, that they can go and play against all these big-name players and, hopefully, come out on top over the two games.'' The Mariners have problems at the back with centre-half Peter Handyside (knee) and goalkeeper Aidan Davidson (hip) both struggling to be fit. Keegan certainly isn't looking past tomorrow's visitors: "They've got all the things you need to get out of this division. They're a great footballing side and they've got a never-say-die attitude. They've been to Wembley before and they'll want another taste of that.''

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