Dunno about everyone else but its quite sad to look back to such great times when we're in such a **** place right now.. Very special day though and the beginning of a great journey.
I was in flight coming back from a holiday during the match, so caught up when we got home. We made it to our other Wembley appearances though. Went back to work after the holiday and was made redundant. Now I've got a great job, and City are in the Championship. What goes around...
I was working in Chelmsford at the time and stayed over at the company flat on the Friday night, drove over to Hounslow (to meet a friend who had my ticket) the next morning round the M25 and didn't see any City colours at all until I hit the A1. We went into the Sportsmans bar near Wembley Park underground station and then on to the match, and what a glorious game it was - never to be forgotten! Afterwards on the way back to Hounslow to pick the car up there were mainly Bristol fans who were mainly friendly and congratulating us on our win. But the journey home was amazing, once I got to the M1 it was just a sea of black and amber everywhere, a sight to behold in every sense. What a brilliant day!!
I don't care how old I am, or how long ago it was. I still fill up with emotion watching that now. The moment that went in was a moment of sheer joy, one that I will never ever forget. That is the joy you get from supporting your home town team, a joy supporters of big clubs just won't get.
Ward 33 City at Wembley for the first ever How dare Phil Brown get us to Wembley when I can't go !!! Thought I would NEVER get to see city at Wembley now BUT I DID 3 BRILLIANT TIMES..
I discarded my usual FC and Liverpool half and half shirt, and put on my new 'Hull at Wembley' scarf that I bought on Walton Street Market then made my way to my local claiming to anyone that asked 'you cannot get a ticket can you' Got sat in front of the big screen and spent the afternoon comparing the threepenny stand with Liverpool's Kop with the other Liverpool fans in there, the Bransholme Branch. Saw Deano's goal then we got the domino's out. I was a Leeds Utd supporter the next day. City are **** and always have been. They were lucky to get to Wembley and even luckier to get to the FA Cup Final. They have never won the Challenge Cup and probably never will do. In real life went down with all the family on the slowest train in the world from Paragon, smuggled a shed load of booze on which for some unknown reason was not allowed. Lived the dream that I never thought was possible and arrived back in Hull about midnight. Went straight to Tigers Lair thinking it would be bouncing, it wasn't, they actually had the Scottish Cup Final on, and a FC fan complete with replica shirt, I'm not making this up, came across to our table and said 'You were lucky today weren't you, you'll come straight back down you know'. 10 years on from that great day and occasion we have nothing to show, no legacy at all and the club ripped apart. I remember saying at the time that supporting City will never be the same again.
A friend drove us down to stanmore tube station then met up with the rest of our friends on baker street then onto Wembley for the game
Two abiding memories for me, shared by many I guess. Arriving at Toddington services on M1 at about 8:30am. Normally deserted at that time on a weekend, the place was an absolute sea of black and amber with long queues for every store. For the first time, the enormity of the day for City fans became real. Wayne Brown jumping on Boaz Myhill’s back as Bo caught another injury time hail-mary aimed at Dele Adebola. For the first time, the prospect of Premier League football became apparent. The contrast to ten years later is so stark. I still enjoy watching City, but that is borne out of my stubbornness and happens despite the club, not because of them.
Like lots of people couldn’t get a ticket for love or money, then on the Thursday a mate said hey my company has a box at Wembley would you’d like me to take you. Caught the train from Grantham had lunch at Camden market then off to the stadium. Got there 2 hours early to take advantage of the cooperative pre match facilities which were served up by two South African birds who never let your glass get below half full. Watched the game in a seat set between 2 tiers of Bristol City fans who looked at me like I’d gone mad when Deano scored. Half time went in for a meal in the box with excellent wine, came out for the second half and felt sick all the way to the final whistle, god so tense. Best day ever as a fan. Oh yer I sad ta to my mate I think.
That in a nutshell. Raw emotion and a crap camera with no volume control (WARNING: Turn down volume if clicking on this vid - the only day I've ever uploaded anything to YouTube)
So many memories of that day: Every single roadworthy coach for 100 miles congregated in Walton St car park, forming into one massive convoy on the North circular. Sweating like a pig in the sunshine. Far too much beer. THAT goal. Euphoria & relief at the final whistle after an Alamo-like finish. Winding up the Bristol city fans in the bus next to us - so much so our driver had to let them get in front of us as one Bristol fan was going ****ing mental! Strange atmosphere on the way back, subdued as the adrenaline wore off and we realised we were all knackered!
Too difficult to know where to start but my abiding memory of the day will be seeing my old man in tears at full time (think my grandparents' funerals was the only other time I'd seen this), all he could keep saying was "50 years, 50 years" (how long he'd supported City) - very special to share such an amazing occasion with him and other members of my family. Now I have children of my own and just hope I get to share in something similar with them.
Take comfort in knowing, that pair of twats will never experience anything like we did that day. **** off Allam
Remarkable that the club would choose to trumpet the events of ten years ago on its official website, and fail to mention the name of the football club involved. Petty stuff. https://www.hullcitytigers.com/news/articles/2018/201718-wembley-ten-year-anniversary/
The only time I've had tears run down my face at a game. That goal. Spending the last two minutes of the game with my eyes firmly fixed on the ref. The refs raising his whistle to his lips... Oh my God he's blown for full time. As much as they'd love to, THEY CAN NEVER TAKE THAT DAY AWAY!
Waking up with a sense of regret that my brother - who'd been at my shoulder for hundreds of City games - wouldn't be there as he had a wedding he couldn't get out of in Italy. Went to meet friends down Oxford Street. I was working just off Oxford Street at the time and hated it, but as I walked from Oxford Circus to the pub, all I heard was Hull accents. It was like being on Newland Ave. I lived near Wembley and had had opportunities to attend games there since it had reopened, but had refused to go near until I saw City there. Was glad I did that, as emerging from Wembley tube station and seeing Wembley Way... Wow. Into the ground, going on an escalator to a City game! Those massive flags, those flame throwers... Deano scoring, and over an hour of gut-wrenching, sickening feelings. My face white. Impossible to enjoy. I'd paid £60 quid or so to witness a historic occasion that I wanted to end as soon as possible. Brown jumps on Boaz. Couldn't cheer, couldn't cry, couldn't do anything. Sat there numb, in disbelief. The enormity hit me and I didn't know what to do, how to react. Seconds pass, I think, and people jump on me, hug me. These people are old friends, strangers, Mr Roy off Basil Brush, my parents. See people I'd seen at Moss Rose, Plainmoor, Aggborough... We don't have to say anything, we don't have to do anything. The looks we give each other say everything we'd have failed to say if we'd tried. Decide to walk back to Cricklewood. Cross bridge on A406 which is filled with queuing Bristol City fans in their cars, miserable Bristol City fans. A few sound their horn, a few open their windows to make ****er gestures, others stick their thumbs up to say congratulations. As we walk through Willesden people stop us to congratulate us, people shout nice things, someone in an Arsenal top smiles and says "See you next season." He will. We'll beat them. Back home, champagne drank out of my collection of City mugs, pizza and then into central London. Meet dozens of City fans at the White Horse pub off Carnaby Street. Still disbelief. No one seems to speak, just grin. Huge grins. Realise that all of these people are staying in our small flat. How's that going to work? Meet Tottenham fans who want to celebrate with us. They teach us that Adebayor song for the coming season. On to the Roxy nightclub. No memories now until I wake up the next morning and look at the living room floor of my flat. 30 or so semi-conscious City fans laying there in various stages of a hangover, along with some lass who one of them had somehow managed to pull and entice back there. Smile. Keep on smiling. Still smile now. What a day.
Sat reading this thread on my dinner at work and goosebumps. I remember having to fight to book the weekend ofg work. Was only working part time, so did Tiger Travel. Met my mates on Wembley way and milled around. I actually don't remember much of the game. I Adebola missed a sitter. My abiding memory is being on cloud 9 for about two weeks and then coming crashing down to earth and realising we had achieved everything I wanted.