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"It's a choice I'll have to make but we are fortunate to have two big players to choose from in both size and stature. Futch (Ben Futcher) acquitted himself really well on Saturday and it won't be an easy decision to choose between him and Rob Jones. Whoever gets the nod, though, won't let us down - I am sure of that.
"Tonight is all about the three 'C's' for me - calmness, confidence and concentration. That is what I will be drilling into the players in the dressing room. They are just 90 minutes away from the final and have a great chance after the first leg. The last thing we want is to be left kicking ourselves afterwards and waste all the hard work we put in at Sincil Bank."
Slade also spoke about the fact that no home side has won one game yet in the ten play-off matches completed to date this season, commenting :
"It is remarkable but it doesn't concern me - our home form is good. I'm sure Lincoln will take heart from that sequence and will no doubt use it to spur them on as they look to overturn our lead tonight.
"We don't even need to win - a draw would do us - but we are determined to end that play-off sequence and win tonight. We are aiming to get to Cardiff and want to do that in style."
City manager Keith Alexander spoke exclusively to The Lincolnshire Echo about the second leg this evening, the ex-Grimsby player commenting about the need for his players to be on their game from the get-go :
"When you consider what is at stake, it's the biggest, most important derby ever between the sides. Both teams are looking to clinch a shot at promotion - and it doesn't come much bigger than that.
"We'll have nearly 2,000 fans there and we need them to be right behind us from the first whistle. Whether we start well or not, they need to be vocal and give the team every ounce of encouragement.
"The players are fired up and ready to go - we just can't wait to get started. I just hope we are the team celebrating at the final whistle. I don't think scoring two goals at Grimsby is beyond us, that's for sure.
"We finished as the third highest scorers in the league this season and, hopefully, we can show why at Blundell Park. Naturally, there were a few players who needed picking up (after Saturday's 1-0 defeat), but there always are when you lose such big games.
"But they have forgotten about it now. They know what we have to do tonight and how we have to achieve it. When the pressure is on, it brings the best out of my players. We will look to put Grimsby under the cosh and play how we always play. If we can be a bit more ruthless in front of goal, we have every chance."
Grimsby, as pointed out by Slade, could see the return of giant centre-half Rob Jones whose wife gave birth at the weekend. Veteran midfielder, and future boxer, Curtis Woodhouse, is likely to miss the clash with a thigh injury, while club captain John McDermott will definitely be out after receiving a bad knock to the leg at Sincil Bank, Gary Croft will deputise again at right-back. Town hitman Michael Reddy is likely to be amongst the substitutes once more, as the ex-Sunderland striker struggles with an on-going groin strain. The Mariners were in relatively poor form going into the play-offs before their Saturday 1-0 win at Lincoln, having only won twice in their last nine games beforehand. Grimsby, despite suffering from early-season jitters at Blundell Park, have only been defeated once on their own turf though, since a 2-1 defeat against League Two champions Carlisle United on the 2nd of January.
With the record of the Mariners at home, combined with their own on the road, of only six victories on their travels this season, albeit four of those coming in their last seven away games, Lincoln will find it tough to claw back a one goal deficit tonight. They do go into the game without too many injury problems however, dangerous striker Simon Yeo proving his fitness after coming back from a knee injury on Saturday to enter the fray as a second-half substitute. They will be short of three squad players though, missing Martin Gritton and Luke Foster due to a virus going round the Sincil Bank club, Ollie Ryan also missing from contention tonight with a hamstring injury. The Red Imps will certainly take heart from the incredible run of home teams in the play-offs this season though, and their up-and-at-them style will certainly make for a tight contest at Blundell Park this evening.
The match is broadcast live on Sky Sports One, kick-off at 7.45pm, the referee is Premier League official Mike Dean from Heswall on the Wirral.