Back in 2005, Sharps team of the time Tranmere Rovers faced off against Hartlepool in the Leauge One playoff semifinal.
Sharps told the Advertiser this week how missing a penalty that denies your team going to the final feels, Ian said: "I think the score was 5-5 on pens when I stepped up to take my kick. It would have taken us to the final but I missed and then their lad stepped up and scored and they went through to play Sheffield Wednesday."
"I was down for a long time afterwards, I stewed on it over summer. Over and over again I kept thinking 'why didn't I do that' because all my life I've been alright with penalties, going right back to when I was a kid. The fact is, someone has got to miss and that's gone now. If I have to take another penalty then I have to take another penalty. I'll just get on with it."
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Getting through to the final at Wembley, and leading the team out has been Ian's dream: "I want to play at Wembley, It's my lifelong ambition and I want to captain a promotion winning side there. I know we're capable of some fine performances and I know we're also capable of some shocking ones too."
"Hopefully the mentality is right going into the games and no-one hides and everyone wants the ball. If you make a mistake, you make a mistake. So long as you're trying to do the right thing at the right time then you can't really argue. If you give 100 per cent and don't hide, no-one is going to complain if you win or lose."
Sharps feels she Millers are the team no one wants to face in the playoffs, saying: "It's whoever turns up on the day and performs, On their day everyone has proved this year that they can beat each other but as the league table shows right now, we are the better team."
"I don't think anyone wants to play us. I think we're the best team in it but we have got to prove that, first of all over the two legs in the semi-final."
"We've drawn a lot of games at Don Valley but if we win the first leg away and draw here, I'll take that. We've only lost four league games here all season and I think people will look at that and think it's not a bad record. Even in cup competitions at Don Valley we have done well."
Since the return of Nick Fenton by his side, and Pablo moving to play just in front of the pair of centre backs, the team has been keeping other sides at bay.
"I think the clean sheets could be something to do with the fact we've had the same back four and goalkeeper for a while. The lads in front of us are working hard as well," said Sharps.
"Taking the Crewe game, they have good players and they are a handful so, as defenders, we were made up to do well against them. They had one or two chances but that's probably the most we have given away in the four games therefore we are happy with how we are playing defence wise."
Last weekend's match at Don Valley against Crewe Alexandra saw a torrential rainstorm in the second half, making the condition of the pitch almost unplayable, Ian saying: "I've played in conditions like that before but I don't think the game would have been on had it started in the conditions we had at the end, At the end where the U2 stage was, the rain just wouldn't drain away. Fair play to the referee. He had a good game and fair play to him for letting it finish."
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