Wembley 99 Play Off final - 25th Anniversary

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Division Two Play Off Final

Manchester City 2-2 Gillingham - 30th May 1999

Manchester City won 3-1 on penalties.

The Play Off Final represents an era when we were at our lowest but also an era when our support was arguably at its strongest and the Dickov equaliser and celebration remains one of the most memorable and iconic moments in the history of the club. For many this game respresents the resurrection of Manchester City.

Winning that game didn’t just lead to back to back promotions, it meant we agreed to become tenants to the future commonwealth games stadium. Just over a decade later and the land and potential for growth around that stadium meant we caught the eye of a certain Sheikh Mansour. The rest as they say is history.

Where were you?
What did you think at 2-0?
Did you think it was too late at 2-1?
How wild did you celebrate the Dickov equaliser?
Did you think we’d win the shoot out?
Any photos you’d like to share?

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At 2 nil I thought it was all over and when I say all over I mean all over. I felt like I was watching city lose that big club status, I thought this is what it was like for the big clubs of the past as the game passed them by.

When we turned it around it was amazing and I can honestly say I have never had those dark thoughts again. The only way was up after that, I knew, everyone knew it, and boy were we right!!
 
I was just to the left of the city bench stinking hangover ran out of fags nicked the water from city's bench and a few kind gentleman saw me through the match with ciggie

2-1 in the bogs 2-2 fucking mental wasn't worried about the pens back to the Wembley hilton and the player's walked in
 
I went straight from Maximes in Wigan. Was absolutely smashed. No shame in admitting that I prayed at 2-1 down. Fuck knows who I was praying to, but it worked.
 
Where were you? Wembley

What did you think at 2-0? Fuck this I'm off

Did you think it was too late at 2-1? Having got to the bottom of the stairs I was alerted to the option of starting to drown my sorrows courtesy of an irate blue crashing through a fire door and the sound of broken glass. Had no idea of the extent of the injury time and when Kev scored was sat at the bar with a bottle of Becks and didn't turn round to the screen so yes.

How wildly did you celebrate Dickov's equaliser? From behind me I heard the excitement rising 'go on go on' etc turned round to see the goal and then it was mayhem tables over drink everywhere followed by a surreal moment where it suddenly stopped as everyone had the same thought followed by a mass stampede up the steps.
Did you think we'd win the shoot out? Having got back in unchallenged with a frothy bottle of Becks I thought it was inevitable we would win even when it came to pens.

Any photos you'd like to share? No photos just memories
 
The stress, the beer and relief all kicked in at 2-2 and had to make a dash for the toilet. Had to fight against wave upon wave of people trying to get back in. Managed to make it before my insides exploded. Think it was at this point the pain kicked as my shins were cut to ribbons celebrating dickovs goal. Remember the journey home on the train seemed to be surrounded by people exhausted and relived a feeling that I would not experience again until the fa cup final v Stoke. Don't you love being a blue
 
I remember just feeling really fcuking angry when we were 2 down and what i thought a defeat would mean to the club.
Then a few minutes later kissing the guy next to me when Dickov scored.
Pens worried me as their keeper had had a really good game.
Afterwards i just felt exhausted and relieved.
 




What a journey we’ve been on for the last two decades. Who would have thought, at 89 minutes, that we would be in the position we now find ourselves?

And what a debt of gratitude we owe to people like joe Royle and Willie Donachie, David Bernstein, John Wardle and David Makin, Thaksin Shinawatra, Sven, Roberto Mancini, Manuel Pellegrini, Pep, Khaldoun and his team and, of course, most of all, HRH Sheikh Mansour, as well as the players, who have contributed to growth and development.

We are the luckiest supporters in the world, IMHO.
 
Watched the match in a pub in Preston. Landlord said the eruption in the pub after Dickov scored was a lot louder than the rags a few days before.
What a day that was.
 
My greatest experience of watching City live (sadly I’ve missed the glory years due to living abroad). When Dickov scored my brother smacked me in the face (he claims accidentally) and a guy in the row behind puked. Scenes.
 
When Dickov scored like most others we went ballistic and I ended up on my back with two of my mates belly flopping on me at the end of the aisle, I was holding onto my glasses for dear life. A big fat bird joined in and dived on top of us all, I reckon she was about 18 stone, it seemed ages before she got off and I got my breath back, luckily the glasses and me survived.
 
When they went 2 up I walked out. Hate to say it but my 1st born was in hospital and I thought my time was better spent there rather than facing any further humiliation. Half way up Wembley way I heard a muffled cheer and assumed it was over, then probably 100 yards further pandemonium kicked in as some fella with a radio shouted it's 2-2. The police on horseback shouted that no return into the stadium would be allowed and this caused dozens of fans to run to a nearby Currys to see if Sky Sports was on in the shop. Hundreds ignored the police and ran back up Wembley Way. I carried on to the tube and got to Wealdstone where my car was parked. I can remember trying to use my mobile but the network was overwhelmed. I actually heard the last 10 minutes and the shootout heading north on the A1. The most crazy part was I lost the radio signal driving through Hatfield tunnel during the shootout and emerged from it to the euphoria of Weaver's save. Not how I planned the day but unforgettable nonetheless.
 
One of the best experiences at a City game when Dickov scored the place went mad. Up there with the Aguero goal. Back then when we didn't didn't have a great deal of success it just made the high of the turnaround from dead and buried to "we're going to win this " so intense. Mad scrum of ecstatic blues at the end. Oh and the old Wembley was a sh*thole, rivers of piss at half time was another happy memory.
 
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