Wembley 99 Play Off final - 25th Anniversary

[uncle fester]

One of the few things City that I've managed to keep hold of over the years
Cost me £150 at the time (about £300 plus in todays money) from some cockney wide boy
I remember bricking it on the way in in case they refused me entry as it was a junior's/OAP ticket

 

[Tbilisi]

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?

Felt sick at 2-0 as also had not slept at all the night before.
Tried to go to the toilet when penalties started to just sit it out in there but my mate sussed out what I was up to and wouldnt let me past. Glad he didnt.

Two Blues in front of me who were knocking shit out of each other 5 mins before were hugging each other after Dickov scored.

 

[inthenextlife]

Said to my mate because Gillingham were pressing near the end " if they score again we're leaving". They did. Walking out at 0-2 City fans kicking the bins over, angry and despondent. Not another season v Lincoln et al.
We'd parked at the ground so straight in the car and pulling out loads of fans rushing past us. Wound down the window..."what's happened lads?!" "We've fucking equalised" Dumped the car and sprinted up the steps. Fair play to them letting us back in. Eddie Large red faced and panting to get back in too.
ET and penalties but my biggest regret as City fan was I'd not had the faith.
Rest is history.
Keep the faith Blues

 

[feedmpenzaandhewillscore]

Said to my mate because Gillingham were pressing near the end " if they score again we're leaving". They did. Walking out at 0-2 City fans kicking the bins over, angry and despondent. Not another season v Lincoln et al.
We'd parked at the ground so straight in the car and pulling out loads of fans rushing past us. Wound down the window..."what's happened lads?!" "We've fucking equalised" Dumped the car and sprinted up the steps. Fair play to them letting us back in. Eddie Large red faced and panting to get back in too.
ET and penalties but my biggest regret as City fan was I'd not had the faith.
Rest is history.
Keep the faith Blues

I was similar to you, exited when the second went in. Heard the cheers of Horlock going in and cursed City for why they started playing when it was too late. Was at the top end of Wembley way when another big cheer happened which I thought was the final whistle, some Blue had a wireless radio with him and shouted its two all. Wembley way stopped for a moment and then a slightly confused cheer went up and then realising we needed to get back into the ground.

Some copper was stood on the way back into Wembley telling all of us running back in to calm down but was a pissing in the wind exercise.

One thing I do remember from the day was the private boxes that used to sit in the roof of Wembley stadium, the perspex of one kept flexing during the game. It was Liam Gallagher banging on the windows, if he’d hit it any harder he could have ended falling out of it a long way down.

 

[Vienna_70]

Said to my mate because Gillingham were pressing near the end " if they score again we're leaving". They did. Walking out at 0-2 City fans kicking the bins over, angry and despondent. Not another season v Lincoln et al.
We'd parked at the ground so straight in the car and pulling out loads of fans rushing past us. Wound down the window..."what's happened lads?!" "We've fucking equalised" Dumped the car and sprinted up the steps. Fair play to them letting us back in. Eddie Large red faced and panting to get back in too.
ET and penalties but my biggest regret as City fan was I'd not had the faith.
Rest is history.
Keep the faith Blues

Obviously, everyone around me was very despondent, when the Gills' second went in, as was I, obviously.

When SuperKev MK I scored, the lad next to me refused to celebrate, though I suspect he wasn’t the only one.

When Dicky's went in, it was bedlam, and from then on, I was convinced we’d go on to win, even after Dickov fluffed his one-on-one with Bartram.

I was staying with some friends in Freiern Barnet, and on the Tube journey back to their place, I was feeling completely drained, both mentally and physically.

The next day, we went to Enfield motor vehicle fair (or something like that). I kept singing, "You can stuff your fucking treble up your arse!" Eventually, my mate - an Arsenal supporter - asked me, "Aren’t you tired of singing that yet?. I responded by asking him if he was tired of hearing it.

"No, not really," was his reply.