There were a number of offers on the table, but one moment persuaded Stockton-born Wearne the right move was to join League Two side Grimsby Town.

“We were out one night and I said to my girlfriend, ‘I don’t know what the right thing to do is here’,” Wearne told BBC Radio Humberside.

“Other managers were pressuring me to make a decision. I said to her – I need a sign.”

“I went to bed that night, next morning, I came out of the lift and the first guy I see has a Grimsby top on.

“And I just said, ‘That’s the sign’. It’s done.”

Wearne had spoken to Mariners boss Paul Hurst during the holiday but had yet to receive a concrete offer, however the encounter with the unknown supporter cemented his decision.

The former Middlesbrough trainee is happy to have made the switch to Blundell Park, and has offered a personal thank you to the unknowing fan.

“It just shows how many fans there are [supporting Grimsby],” Wearne added.

“I didn’t speak to the guy, he was quite a young lad, but if you were in Cancun, Mexico – reach out and I’ll send you something.

“Because that’s the reason why I’m here. He probably thought I was a bit of a weirdo because me and my girlfriend were just staring at him.”