mancityblues.com

Where were you and what were you doing?

I remember nervously walkin up Wembley way thinking "We CANNOT lose this match! Anything other than a win is unthinkable"

Was this THE most important day in the recent history of Manchester City FC?

Should Kevin Horlock have been given the freedom of Manchester (don't give me any of that Dickov wossname...........without SupaKev there'd have been no 94th minute equaliser )

I can't believe it's TEN years ago. I may have to get the video out to remind me how far we've come! I still get goosebumps when I think about it.

Thoughts anyone?

Kippax Cat

The journey to Wembley was strange, we went in from Watford and although the carriage was full of blues it was eerily quiet, so much so that somebody asked 'what's the matter with you lot, why aren't you making any noise?' my cousin replied in a very calm voice 'because we're shitting ourselves mate'.

I remember the hollow feeling when their second went in, then I had a row with a bloke that was leaving the ground; I told him to stay where he was and support his team and we exchanged a few words and I got back to watching us lose.

Dickov's goal was slow motion of course and in the ensuing mayhem I ended up about 10 seats along and two rows back from where I started being hugged by someone that I assumed to be a cousin; it wasn't, it was the bloke I'd been rowing with.

Extra time came and went and I've never been more calm about a shoot out in my life, Gillingham were a busted flush and it showed, they never stood a chance.

On the way out we passed a Gillingham coach near the Hilton and a rather comely young lady lifted up her top and flashed her boobies, it sort of summed up the day...we were playing for our lives but they were having a day out.

Two more things, I travelled home on my own bought a bottle of scotch and it remained unopened all night, I was too drained to drink (this probably would not have been the case if I'd had company). Later I got in a nice warm bath and revealed a bruise that went the entire length of my calf and was about 4 inches wide, I presume it happened during the aftermath of Dickov's goal and it caused me no pain whatsoever, the funny thing is I looked at my leg remembered the goal and burst into tears; not trickly silly embarrassed tears but proper sobbing salty raindrop tears.

Ian Guildford

I was watching on British Forces tele (BFBS) in my house in Cyprus, having a few Keo beers. 2-0 down and I'm in tears on the sofa, with the wife telling me that there was plenty of time left. "No chance. It'll never happen" I replied.

When Dickov scored our second I jumped through the living room window and ran down the street singing. Made it back just after extra time started. One of the most memorable days of my life......it took ages to sink in.

Wonder where all of the players are now?

shelts

A very lonely vigil in the spare room with the PC in the middle of the Melbourne night... Frantically trying to work out what was going on from a very dubious dial-up internet connection.

It was 15 minutes after the penalties had finished that I finally confirmed we'd won it.

I do NOT want to go through that again...

From what I've seen since - Ian Bishop saved us for my money. Settled us down, passed the ball around, and got us going again.

Sir Kenneth

Went round to your neighbours house,(they had Sky),the lady of the house thought I was havin' a heart attack when she heard an almighty yell! I tried to explain the significance of Dickie's goal, she just rolled her eyes and said,"men!" I still have the programme given to me by one of the Belfast MCSC members,Davy McC.

Irish Blue

I think at this time I was still on one of the special trains heading for Wembley Central. I remember walking around outside Wembley and bumping into a Blue I hadn't seen for a few years.

I just felt numb when their second goal went in with visions of another season visiting Macc, Wrexham, Colchester etc flashing through my mind. Quite a few people around me had disappeared at 2-0 only to magically reappear when extra-time was about to start - long queue for the bogs was it, lads?

The shoot-out was nerve shredding, though made a bit easier by Gillingham's complete incompetence at penalties, I doubt there have been a worse set of pens in a shoot-out than theirs. Weaver didn't really have to do a lot to make his saves. At the end I just felt sheer relief rather than elation, just glad to be out of that crappy division, hopefully never to return.

fatboyslimming

Oh my I haven't watched that game in ages. How emotionally draining was that? Even the YouTube vid was bad enough to watch.

Jumped up and down like a crazy man at Dickov's goal and fell over the back of a wooden bench with the 'bolted on' plastic seats. It hurt like crazy while I was driving home with my two daughters. Blue scarves and celebrations everywhere you looked. Went to the hospital the next morning in agony and found I'd broken a bone in my right wrist. It was worth it.

Funny how things change.
10 years go:
- The rags won the European Cup Final
- City gain promotion by beating Gillingham on Penalties.
10 years on and..
- The rags lose to Barca in the European Cup Final
- City fail in the quest to qualify for Europe -and-
- Gillingham win a play-off final.

Blue Anorak

How things have changed.

Didnt we get Dunne and Jihai
right after this?

Wilhelm Hand