6th February 1990 - Boro made history this day

Erimus74 said:
And a day us Boro thought we would never see when beating 1st division Aston Villa 2-1 on the night, after extra time & 4-2 on aggregate over 2 legs, to book our 1st appearence in a WEMBLEY cup final
Zenith data systems cup final

The Boro had gone to Villa Park for the 1st leg of the Northern section against all the odds, we were struggling in the bottom half of the 2nd division & with a weakened team playing, at that time, IIRC, the 1st division leaders Aston Villa, who on the previous Saturday thumped Bury 6-0 with England's golden boy in top form
Villa took the lead in the 1st leg, we equalised & in what was considered a rain storm throughout the match Mark Brennan scored a wonder free kick in the final minutes to put us 2-1 up from the 1st leg

Roll on the 2nd leg & all we need for tonight's match is to avoid defeat & we're at Wembley

The 2nd leg of was played at a cat & mouse tempo, we go looking for a goal to make it harder for Villa, with the quality in their side they will pick us off
Graham Taylor Villas manager told his player just bide your time till an opening comes & snatch it & that's what happened with the clock ticking down to the last 15 minutes Villa win a corner at the east end of the ground which was housing the Villa fans
The ball was swung over & practically on the goalline & within the grasp of Stephen Pears Stuart Grey headed in the net, 1-0 to Villa, 2-2 on the night & worse, away goals don't count double
Boro must now hold out till ET & regroup, we were now on the back foot & Villa going for the kill
The ref blew & ET it is, typical Boro will have to do it the hard way & win the game again if we are to create history

And that is what we did & in style, O e of Boro's best signing, bargain buy Bernie scored a quality goal at the holgate end to put us level on the night & infront on aggregate, still nerves around buzzing AP when in the 2nd half Mark Proctor takes a corner, the ball comes out to Paul Kerr who seizes the ball & smashes the ball in the Viaal net, against his former team & infront of Villa fans PK runs away arms aloft, we're the famous Middlesbrough & we're going to Wembley

Paul Kerr scored his 1st Boro goal v Villa & a more important goal v Villa taking us to Wembley

If ever a Boro player, or manager is named after a stand then surely Bruce Rioch stand is the one, he picked us up from our lowest ebb, took us through seasons we'll never forget & a place at Wembley
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31 years ago now
 
Was at villa park fantastic night in the pouring rain also in holgate 2nd leg and the boss in the Telstar said he would fill a big trophy with beer champagne if we got to Wembley and to be fair he did when we got back and had a lil stoppy back thanks Ian👍
 
I was working in Nurmberg at the time. Decided on the morning of the match I had to be there.
3 hour train journey to Frankfurt and the first and only time in my life I went to the Lufthansa desk and simply asked for a returen ticket to London on the next flight out. Cost more than I had ever or have subsequently paid for a ticket, after checking with my York living brother (who had got two tickets just in case).
KX to Darlo and on to the match. The memory lives on till today - bright and clear. Rarely was so much time/money better spent. Happy Days
 
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