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Play-off final moments: Paul Dickov talks Sporting Life through Manchester City's epic win over Gillingham in 1999 at Wembley

By Paul Higham
16:53 · THU May 30, 2019

Paul Dickov may well have sparked Manchester City's transformation into the dominant force of the Premier League, as he talked Sporting Life through one of the most epic play-off finals ever held at Wembley.

"I've never been as confident in my life in taking a penalty," said Dickov as he recalls the shootout drama that decided the 1999 Second Division play-off final against Gillingham.

He missed.

In fact, he not only missed but the ball hit both posts after agonisingly running along the goal line but bouncing back out - if one penalty could some up the extreme highs and colossal lows of the play-offs then it was that one, and the celebrations that followed when City made it through.

Many will remember only City goalkeeper Nicky Weaver's celebrations after his save booked an immediate return to the old First Division at the first time of asking - which came after a season playing under intense pressure as a giant club that had fallen about as low as they could go.

Gills stun City at Wembley

Everyone expected them to bounce right back, but after having to settle for the lottery of the play-offs, Man City found themselves 2-0 down with the final whistle approaching after two Gillingham goals in the 81st and 87th minute.

Amazingly, with 90 minutes on the clock, City were still not beaten as first Kevin Horlock (90) and then Dickov (95) scored to stun the Gills, force extra time and then the ensuing penalties that arguably decided both City's short-term feat and long-term rise through the ranks.

"I’d been practising penalties in training and nobody could get near them, so to see it hit both posts and come out was devastating," Dickov told Sporting Life.

Paul Dickov in action for Manchester City in 1999 play-off final
Paul Dickov in action for Manchester City in 1999 play-off final

"We knew how important it was, we didn’t obviously know what would happen to the club afterwards and where the club would end up.

"So I was just relieved more than anything when Nicky saved the last penalty - it was a great celebration and I've never seen him run so fast, or so far, before or since!"

Tough life in Second Division

As many teams from the Premier League find out, life in the second tier is hard, and life in the third tier, as City were in, is as tough as it comes as they face cup finals every week with teams desperate to beat the the big boys and the promotion favourites.

That pressure, though, is exactly what players like Dickov thrive on and he insists that the squad used it as motivation rather than shy away from it as has been the case for several clubs both before and after City.

"The whole season was up and down and it took us a while to adjust to the fact that every team we played we were their cup final so it was tough," he added.

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"You talk about the outside pressure but the only pressure we felt was from ourselves. We knew it was a big game but we wanted to be in those big games, that's why you play football so it wasn't really a problem for us going into the game, we relished it."

The problems,however, came in those late six minutes when those two Gillingham goals landed like two heavy punches to the solar plexus, taking the wind out of City's stars.

Late goal makes Dickov a City hero

They managed to just clear their heads in time though, and Dickov etched his name into the folklore of the club he now still works for, with his last-gasp equaliser.

"It’s great to have had even just a small part in taking us on a step towards where the club is now," he added.

"People ask about what I remember about the goal and the celebration but I don’t really remember. I remember the devastation about being 2-0 down at 90 minutes and then going from that to winning on penalties and everything is a bit of a blur.

Play-Off Final Classic Match - Gillingham 2-2 Manchester City

"City fans still speak about that game and that goal and I think it’s been magnified now with the success the club's had competing the top end of the Champions League and winning the Premier League.

"And it's easier to look back on that day and get nostalgic about it but I'm just proud to have played for the club as long as I did and obviously very proud to have scored such an important goal.

Dickov's search for memorable shirt

And what of the shirt Dickov performed those Wembley heroics in? Well, although it’s been seen so many times in highlights over the years he has no idea where it is, but would like both him and the club to be reunited with it through his campaign.

“20 years on and don’t really know where it is,” Dickov added. “I swapped it after the game stupidly and although I’ve heard a few stories about where it went and who had it I’ve no real idea these days where it is.

“I’ll give them a big hug and say thank you to whoever has it – it’d be great for the club to get it back.”

#FindMyShirt is a campaign from Marathonbet , the Official Global Betting Partner of Manchester City, to help re-unite striker Paul Dickov with his 1998/99 play-off final shirt. Visit @Marathonbet on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and follow the link to leave details of the shirt’s whereabouts.

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