Wembley Memories from 1999 Play-off final

Going to the petrol station on the morning and filling up (ooh what a feeling that was), NOTW threatening carnage from Millwall fans.

The services were bouncing too, flags everywhere fans in full voice, absolutely mental.

Arrived at Stanmore and one blue (Brick shithouse about 6'5") shouted out loud on the platfrom "ANY MILLWALL ABOUT?!".........."EH?"..........cue SILENCE.........

Come out Wembley tube station and was agog at the absolutely godforsaken shytehole Wembley was...........terrible (I know it was due to be demolished tbf).

Remember the weather was awful too proper shyte, Russell Watson getting boo-ed during his performance, didn't even realise who he was at the time. Them crappy inflatable whatever they were's too standing about 50 foot high in relevant City and Gilliingham kits.

I don't recall much of the game iih, seemed a pretty turgid affair........

BANG! 1-0......"shit!" I thought here we go.........

"Come on City" I despaired....

We can do it.......can't we? (We were in good form tbf)

BANG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2-0 GAME FUCKING OVER...................I was distraught...................My head was in a spin.................

"WANKERS!!!!!!!!!!!! I hate you City........".......

Programme binned, scarf on the floor, tantrum thrown!!!!

Turned to the Mrs....."We're going"..............

Turned to Father and Mother-in-Law several rows back

"Come on we're going".......

Father-in-Law "United pulled it back the other day"

Me "That was United, come on we're off......."

(I was driving)

Atmosphere was turning badly at this point.........

As we got to the bottom of the stand......

BANG 2-1!!!!! HORLOCK

Mrs......"Are you going back in?"

Me "No.....TOO LITTLE TOO LATE..........BASTARDS"..........

We trudged half way along Wembley Way............

Cue MAMMOTH ROAR from Wembley!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I turned to Mrs........"There you go, Gillingham promoted"

We carried on walking.........

Bloke next to me with his oversized mobile phone..................

"Eh?..........What!!!!!! Eh?????? What...........we've WHAT????????!!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!??????...................FUCK-IN-HEEEELLLLL!!!!!!!

He runs up to me grabs me by the scruff of my neck.................

"WE'VE FUCKING EQUALIZED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Cue PANDEMONIUM on Wembley Way.......................

Just the most surreal football moment ever......

We legged it back in........

People were CRYING everywhere and I mean EVERYWHERE......proper emotion of the day......

The extra time was similar to the rest of the game in that there were several half chances but overall I think both teams were simply knackered.

The thing I remember most about the penalties was the Gills players looked beat before stepping up, and Edghill's belter into the top corner, plus a badge kiss that meant something.

On that final penalty I think we all knew it was coming!!!!

and Weaver bounded off like an Afghan hound past all the team only to be rugby tackled by Andy Morrison haha!

WOOOOOOOHHHHOOOOOOOOO!

"City are back....City are back"

"You can shove your fucking treble up your arse........"

After all that every City fan was emotionaly and physically exhausted...........Like someone said before.....just wandering around aimlessly with daft grins on our faces...

What a Day!

edit:

My Dad had fell asleep listening to the radio back home in Manc, at which point Gillingham were 2-0 up, he assumed we'd lost bearing in mind the time left to play. It was only the following day when a neighbour told him we'd been promoted, he thought they were taking the piss!
 
Exeter Blue I am here said:
Blue Tooth said:
Sat with my head in my hands at 0-2 just thinking...you fucking bastards...Horlocks goal just made me angrier...and then...without a doubt the most exhilarating experience I have had at a football match...who cares it was a playoff for the chance to crawl out of old div 2...this...this moment put every single year of misery into one giant ball of joy...it was ecstacy...pure and simple.
Click to expand...

Had virtually the same experience. My reaction to Horlock's goal was identical. Suppressed fury. How many times had I seen us flatter to deceive and just pull one back?! Dozens. I only didn't leave cos I was just too depressed to move. The worst I had ever felt at a football match. Contrasted nicely then with Dickov's goal, which was the best I'd ever felt! I remember half checking my celebratory roar as I thought the Gillingham defender sliding across had blocked it, and then I saw it hit the back of the net and went totally apeshit. Ended up 6 rows down and about 12 seats across jumping up and down with some Blue in a sheepskin coat. 'Yes, yes, yes, yes', on and on it went and then the loudest 'You're not singing anymore' I've ever heard in my life. Fantastic.
Click to expand...

Exactly the same for me too. In fact I read Blue Tooth's description as if I had written it myself. I remember people around me cheering and getting excited after Horlock's goal and I was thinking "so f***ing what".

We'd set off for a long weekend away the morning after the rags had made it a treble and I had avoided all TV and papers for 3 days. And then at 2-0 down I was virtually crying thinking how could this happen, the rags had done the treble, I'd queued the previous weekend for 12 and a half hours for tickets and we were going to be stuck in League 2 forever. I had my two eldest lads with me who were only quite young at the time. I looked at them, seeing how disappointed they were but also selfishly thinking but they don't know the hurt like I do. And then like like Blue Tooth said it turned into ecstasy.

I don't remember extra time at all but after it going to 2-2 I never thought we were going to lose it. It just seemed like it was inevitable that it was going to penalties and it felt everyone had settled for that.

After the game we managed to get in a social club just across the road from Wembley. A few Blues in there but not packed. No wild celebrations just more a feeling of relief.

Some people will say it was only the League 2 play offs but still one of the best days ever watching City (and of course one of the worst).
 
The only only thing that pissed me off with the tv coverage a little, was when Nicky Weaver saved the pen, re celebration etc, that they focused on him and the team for ages and didn't show what was happening in the stands. I'm sure that a bit more of a mixture would have looked better, considering all the emotions going on that day re those other great threads, fans reactions etc. Having said that the footage of that guy with his missus and son when Dickov scores is top, all hugging like there lives depended on it. And I unashamedly still well up at that point. You all understand.
 
I was 6 at the time, every getting pissed, I felt like shit when Gillingham was 2-0, all I remember from our first goal was everyone going pretty mental, the guy in front turned round and hugged us all then started climbing the stand and disappeared. Then when the second went in it was the best feeling ive had at football match. I was a huge Nicky Weaver fan at the time, so when he saved the penalty I went crazy. I just remember an empty Gillingham end and you could just see "Wembley" written on the seats, then them lifting the trophy etc. Then the party on the bus after, was amazing, I hope this time round it will just be as good cause going with the same lot and this time and can join them in getting wankered :).
 
I went down on a coach with The Moulders from Hyde with my old man. Everyone apart from the two of us were wrecked by the time we made it to London.

We were sat high up but towards the half way line, so was a good view.

At 0-2 I must've been one of the only people in there who thought we could do it. I was wearing the 93-94 home top (way too small on me but I'd started wearing it at the turn of the year when we'd had a change of form so decided it was my lucky top) and I had my hand on the badge screaming at the players that we could still do it, my Dad thought I was having a coronary and I was only 21 at the time! Even now I still go for my badge when we have a penalty (the shirt was long-since retired).

That moment when Dickov scored was like nothing else I've ever experienced, I've not sung my heart out as much as I did after that goal.

Boarding the coach on the way back home, me and my Dad are singing and dancing and everyone on there was asleep! What should've been one of our most joyous moments of recent history was being slept through in a drunken fug!

My little boy is 4 and he likes me to tell him different bedtime stories from when I was younger, but the one I tell him about Wembley '99 is his favourite.
 
so many memories but best of unique ones was bing in the Hilton when both teams came in and got standing ovation, then drinking for hours with ref and some players. Chanting "the ref is a city fan" while he sat with his friends. Class
 
At 0-2 I just turned away and crouched in front of my chair.... I felt physically sick and was thinking of the list of excuses for Monday morning... Horlock's goal...pah!..consolation... that adds insult to injury...

Then the ball breaks to Diickov and I see the net flutter - pure ecstasy I must have moved down about 20-30 rows in the celebration

Don't remember much of extra-time but the penalties the deafening whistles and the Weaver save and run about... Best day as a 25yr old City fan bar none
 
I know it was a sh*thole but it was still Wembley,but after 81 I never thought I would see me again or more importantly, my kids ever, getting there. After years of heartache and gawd we,d suffered and have since but walking up the steps with my 13 yo son and 11 yo daughter brought me to tears , and then at 2 nil down those tears were in my sons eyes. How could i console him when I was feeling the same but oh the joy of THAT GOAL and then Weavers herorics. You know ,there are times when stupidly you think to yourself " I,m so happy , if I was to die now I would be ok with it" stupid I know and you dont mean it at all, but you know what I,m saying. For those who have suffered through all the not so good years, moments like that day make it all worthwhile and it is that feeling I want to feel again come the 16th April and beyond.
 
Share the same sentiments as many on here who were even more devo'd with Horlock's equaliser. Just somehow put the boot in even more. Felt so gutted and despairing stood there thinking 'how can I show my face at work? All them rag twats celebrating the treble and we can't even beat Gillingham in a fucking play off to get out of the 3rd tier'. Could see my mate out the corner of my eye, nervously wanting to suggest we leave, but daren't speak to me coz she could see the rage and upset bubbling up and in a split second we went from agony to ecstasy. Just remember going mental - welling up thinking about it- hugging some stranger in front of me. Just remember phoning my dad before penalties and saying 'pray for us' like our lives depended on it. Remember grabbing my mate and screaming 'we've done it!' coz I think she'd lost track of the pens. Just pure pandemonium and delerium.

Went in to a pub to avoid train queues, got leathered and had a good old sing song. My mum and step dad had left early and missed it.I was gutted for her coz I knew it would have been his suggestion and not hers. They were at some posh hotel in St.johns wood, so after the pub we went to see her, looking a right fucking mess from all the wild celebrations and getting shit faced in this pub. Remember walking down St johns wood road, scarf aloft singing 'you can stick yer fuckin treble up yer arse'. Walked into hotel. My mum was there with some well to do friends. The look on her face was priceless. It was a mixture of pure joy and excitement coz we'd won and coz she was excited to see me so happy, and horror coz I looked like some crazed pissed up mess and she was with posh mates I'd never met before!
Even now when I watch it when they went 2-0 up I feel sick! I know we did it, but I still worry in case we don't score!! I love Brazil's commentary when he says summat like 'it'll be party time in Kent tonight' and I say ' no it fucking won't.

The fact it was a 2nd div play off is irrelevant. Just to have experienced that range of extreme emotions in such a short space of time is what made that day so special. Without doubt the best experience of my life.
 
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