Welcome to the Vetch on Saturday 24th April 2004. Ten years to the very day since Swansea City graced the Wembley playing surface for the first time in their history. It's hard to believe that those ten years have passed and I suspect that many of you in the crowd today remember almost every moment of that Wembley final as if it was yesterday?
It was one of those things that most of us dreamed about when we watched cup finals and the like at Wembley. But it was also one of those things that we probably never thought would come true. But it did - after a nail biting semi final against Wycombe it was confirmed Swansea City would play at Wembley.
Of course, we all remember too well what happened on the day. Andy Macfarlane put us ahead early on in the game - another memory that I don't think I will ever forget. I remember so vividly the wall of silence at our end of the ground when Huddersfield equalised and the trauma of a penalty shoot out followed. I remember the bloke next to me getting up and leaving the stadium, on enquiring why, he told me that he could not stomach the nervousness of the shoot out. I do wonder whether he did leave or whether he stayed in the ground to have a sneak peek - I hope he did - the celebrations were something else. The last penalty that Roger saved seemed to move in such slow motion that I swear I could have got to the other end of the ground to save it as well. And there was then the magical moment of seeing your team, led so ably by captain John Cornforth walking up those steps that so many legends had trodden before to lift the trophy in front of the Royal Box - it was the stuff that childhood dreams were made of, there was no doubt.
The trip back home was a long one but such a happy one as you relieved the moments of the day and wondered if it was all really a dream (and of course there was just the odd beer or two to celebrate!) I remember Leigh Delamere services on the M4 where the coach stopped for petrol. In rolled a mini bus next to us and out got around a dozen Swans fans. With them was the sign that had, hours earlier, been in front of the team declaring them as "Autoglass Trophy Final Winners 1994" - I still wonder how that was transported out of Wembley Stadium without anyone noticing.
Now see that was ten years ago and my memories are clear. Ask me what I did the day after or the day before and I won't be able to tell you but that day is etched in my memory forever. And it is a tale that one day no doubt I will tell my grandchildren - whether they believe me or not at the time is a different manner "Grandad has gone senile" may me what they say about me but, as Max Boyce would say, "I know 'cos I was there" And these memories stick because it is football and I suspect that a few people reading this will have now taken their own trip down memory lane to remember their day at Wembley in 1994 as well. And it is for days like those, that we are prepared to suffer mid table finishes with nothing to play for - it's a great game, a great club and remembering things like that is what we do best!
And finally, while we are here today, let's not forget also that we owe the opposition one for that other appearance at Wembley that, strangely enough, I'd rather forget!
UP THE JACKS!
Phil Sumbler (phil@sumbler.freeserve.co.uk)
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