Manchester City v Gillingham 2nd Division Play Off Final 1999 23 Years Today.

[Oldham Exile]

I left at 2 nil down as well but managed to get back in for extra time and pens. Taught me not to leave early, without that I don't think I'd have seen the Aguerooooooo moment

I remember saying to my mate when Horlock scored - "typical CITY - too little too fucking late" and then everything went wild.

For the Agueroooooo moment - I happened to be stood in CB3 next to that same fella - I said to him just before Dzeko scored - couldn't be a repeat of Gillingham could it?

What a couple of nights out they were

 

[Didsbury Dave]

With regards to Gillingham they have just been relegated to division four. Shame really as there is potential there for them to do so much more what with being the only league side in Kent.

A lot of their fans were very bitter at what happened but it seemed more directed at Halsey and the five minutes that were added on. I think the proper Gillingham fans actually have a fair bit of respect for us when it comes to others banging on about our history and we’re where you when you were shit etc as they themselves are a massive part of that and our history.


We did play them pretty soon after 99 in a early round league cup game and I don’t think there was any issues.

Hopefully for the gills they can bounce back at the first attempt.

With all the title wins etc Gillingham will always be in our top five games in our history for importance.

Outside the stadium I witmessed their fans hanging out of cars and coaches and shaking hands and wishing City well.

City fans in return were chorusing "We'll never play you again".

 

[Oldham Exile]

Yes, was at both. Great memories (and a few since too)!

Me too - the party at Blackburn was immense

 

[Oldham Exile]

Often forgotten: Gillingham should have had a penalty at 2-2 in extra time. Richard Edghill, or maybe it was Whitley, caught their player as he was cutting in from the by-line. Ref let it go. Looked clear as day on the tv in the pub we were in after leaving at 0-2 down.

Also - in extra time - I have a memory of one of our players handling the ball when he was on the ground - should have been a penalty (perhaps it is just my fuzzy memory though)

 

[bluefrom78]

Have probably posted links to these in threads like this before but here they are again for people that haven't seen them the two issues of MCIVTA (Manchester City Info Via the Alps) with match reports from City fans in them (second one is the longer edition)

https://mcivta.com/newsletter-0505/

https://mcivta.com/newsletter-0506

Here's one of may favourite bits from one of them

But then it happened.

With 12 seconds to go the ball was blasted by Dickov into the Gillingham net.

Unless you experienced it there simply is no way that I can describe what happened next in a way that will even come close to how it was.

Quite simply Wembley exploded. I have never, and doubt I ever will again, experience anything like it. Bodies tumbled into each other, as we crashed around in the craziest of celebrations; those that didn’t scream and cheer were numbed by the enormity of what we had witnessed. Rivers of tears cascaded across the Wembley concrete as we were swept along in an unending tide of emotion, elation and thanksgiving.

This was indeed a modern footballing miracle.

I've italicised a portion of it, wonder if you can guess why? :) Hopefully the author was able to be there for 93:20 a "scant" 13 years later to see how the 2 moments compared.

 

[paulchapo]

This club has tortured and delighted us like no other, often within the space of a few minutes. No history? We must have the craziest history of any club.

 

[Didsbury Dave]

Have probably posted links to these in threads like this before but here they are again for people that haven't seen them the two issues of MCIVTA (Manchester City Info Via the Alps) with match reports from City fans in them (second one is the longer edition)

https://mcivta.com/newsletter-0505/

https://mcivta.com/newsletter-0506

Here's one of may favourite bits from one of them



I've italicised a portion of it, wonder if you can guess why? :) Hopefully the author was able to be there for 93:20 a "scant" 13 years later to see how the 2 moments compared.

That quote was also used in “down amongst the dead men” book and always moved me.

 

[HelloCity]

With regards to Gillingham they have just been relegated to division four. Shame really as there is potential there for them to do so much more what with being the only league side in Kent.

A lot of their fans were very bitter at what happened but it seemed more directed at Halsey and the five minutes that were added on. I think the proper Gillingham fans actually have a fair bit of respect for us when it comes to others banging on about our history and we’re where you when you were shit etc as they themselves are a massive part of that and our history.


We did play them pretty soon after 99 in a early round league cup game and I don’t think there was any issues.

Hopefully for the gills they can bounce back at the first attempt.

With all the title wins etc Gillingham will always be in our top five games in our history for importance.

We played them several times since. In the league under Keegan twice - The Benarbia back heel to Goater volley game inc, and also in the league cup.

 

[HelloCity]

Have probably posted links to these in threads like this before but here they are again for people that haven't seen them the two issues of MCIVTA (Manchester City Info Via the Alps) with match reports from City fans in them (second one is the longer edition)

https://mcivta.com/newsletter-0505/

https://mcivta.com/newsletter-0506

Here's one of may favourite bits from one of them



I've italicised a portion of it, wonder if you can guess why? :) Hopefully the author was able to be there for 93:20 a "scant" 13 years later to see how the 2 moments compared.

A Gillingham fan responded to me on a YouTube comment once and I asked him what the City fans celebration looked like from their end when Dickov scored and he said it was the most mental and craziest celebration you could ever see or imagine. Time makes the mind forget, but I genuinely believe it went even more mental than it did for the Aguero goal.

 

[mancityvstoke]