26 May 1996 Bradford City V Notts County Play Off Final.

Memories.

I was only 15 .
Had my first beer in the pub just before Wembley way, it was very different then .
What a fantastic day !!

Hopefully my home town can have a similar result next Sunday,

 

Great day. Sat next to Don Hutchins.

 

Remember the day well. Never seen that many City fans in one place.

Recall the services at Leicester were closed as that many fans had stopped off. Queuing back onto the motorway IIRC?

Notts County brought about 5,000 fans as IIRC they had been to wembley a fair few times in the years before and I guess the novelty wasn't there like it was for us.

Des sort of miskicked the first as he fell and Stallard volleyed the second home right in front of 35,000 city fans, who went mental.

Wembley Stadium was a bit of a shithole though. We were sat on wooden bench seats

 

Brilliant day out.
Took my dad and best mate with me. Everyone we spoke to predicted a 2-0
I bought my tickets over the phone on 17 May while Mrs BP was in labour with my daughter.

 

Totally dominated the day in every way - got slaughtered in Covent Garden after the game, my bro and I got in a lot of trouble for peeing in large plant pots outside a plush restaurant! (at least they weren't in it )

 

Took my late dad (a city fan since just after the war) and 2 mates, earliest train from Leeds on Wembley way by 11 .30 then to a pub called the pantiles in Neasden which was full to the rafters with city fans. Sat in the Olympic gallery at Wembley can still visualise my old fella when des scored priceless memories

 

Still remember driving past Leicester Forest East services and seeing all the flags and people waving. What a brilliant day it was, Wembley claret and amber from one side of the halfway line, right the way round behind the goal to the other side. Fantastic atmosphere and the drive back up the motorway just seemed to be a procession of scarves out of windows together with cars full of happy smiling City supporters.

 

Thanks for sharing @Bronco
What a great day that was. I was 25 back then and always dreamt of what it would be like to go to Wembley with City. A dream come true at the time.
We ran two coaches from Skipton. Because every coach company in a 50 mile radius was booked up, we really struggled to book anything. We finally found a firm from over in Leeds willing to take us.
I remember the first coach rolled up a on the Sunday morning. I was relieved to see it was a modern thing so all the families got on that. The other coach (when it finally arrived) looked like it had been liberated from a museum. I think.it had a top speed of 30mph! And It was being driven by Rab C Nesbit! No wonder we'd been able to book it.
So this was the lads bus. I didn't mind though as we all got merry on way down the M1. I got a lot of good natured banter about the state of our transport. Every so often when the thing crawled up a hill everyone would start singing the theme tune to Last of the Summer Wine or the Hovis ad.
Needless to say we landed at Wembley just before kick off so never had a chance for a few beers in the pubs around the stadium.
For me the result was never in doubt. County only brought 10,000 fans. I think they even expected to get beat.

 

I think that after the Blackpool game I lost any doubt.
After that result at Bloomfield Road, which prior to the Chelsea game, was our biggest ever shock result, I knew we were destined to win.

 

Those good times are what make following a club like ours special. They're rare moments of glory in a endless story of disappointment and 'if onlys'.

 

Yes thanks for sharing. I've never seen this video before. I was in the Navy back then and was very homesick that day even though i was in the sunny Caribbean!
Was ecstatic when i heard the news from home, made it a memorable evening that night in the bars of Puerto Rico, remember a few of my messates from all over the country getting me a beer and wishing City well.

 

Thanks for posting Dave (?) Yes a great day. Still got the video in the loft.... Can’t play it! Still brings a tear to the eye 25 years on!

 

Blackpool was magic, one of those nights sprinkled with star dust, you just knew we would win. Other half won a ton of money. I missed Chelsea!

 

30,000 City fans and 9000 from County was the official breakdown.

Their fans were protesting against their board at the time which obviously contributed to the very low numbers from them.

 

Have it copied over to a DVD before you lose it forever Kev. Good memories.

 

Son said he’d do it Dave, a great tip.