Final whistle for Wembley

IT may be 200 miles away, but Wembley holds magic memories for many Yorkshire folk. They will remember their own special moments underneath the twin towers when the final whistle of England v Germany brings its history to an end tomorrow.

As the bulldozers move in some will think back to their run-out on the magic pitch, perhaps as a schoolboy footballer or as a referee. Others might wistfully recall their part in nurturing the Field of Dreams' famous grass, grown at Inturf in Wilberfoss.

And we mustn't forget audacious Acomb hairdresser Claire Holtby, who became possibly the last streaker at Wembley when she sprinted across the turf half naked last year.

For York folk, Wembley memories go back a long way. The first FA Cup Final held there took place in 1923. Eight years later, York Wasps played under the trademark towers in the Challenge Cup Final.

After beating Warrington in the semi-final York took on Halifax in front of a 40,000-strong Wembley crowd. Despite twice taking the lead, the Wasps lost 22-8.

Nevertheless the players returned home heroes and were greeted by crowds of more than 2,000 for their subsequent pre-season games.

In modern times, only one Wembley date matters. May 25, 1993. York City v Crewe Alexander in the Division Three play-off final.

Two of the team that played in that roller-coaster match are still at Bootham Crescent: Paul Stancliffe, now head of the club's youth development, and veteran defender Wayne Hall. Wayne remembered the build-up.

"It was going to be the highlight of my career. It's a special place. Everyone wants to play there," he said.

On the big day, City's manager Alan Little did his best to calm his player's nerves. "The gaffer was very good at keeping everybody's feet on the ground."

Wayne said the excitement began to build when he first saw the twin towers from the team coach as it entered London. And it increased as the team walked into their Wembley dressing room.

"That's when the butterflies started to set in. But you soon calm down, and we got out and walked around the pitch."

The last time Wayne had been to Wembley was on a trip as a child. Then, he walked up the famous stairs to the Royal Box to be presented with a plastic trophy.

But this was real. He could feel the famous turf under his feet - it was harder than he expected; he finished the match with blisters.

"A couple of the players were very nervous, and were sick beforehand," he said. "I just focused on the game."

After returning to the dressing room to change and listen to the team talk, the time had come. Walking down the players' tunnel behind the goal onto the pitch was an amazing experience.

"You see it on the telly, you see FA Cups being given out there. It's every professional's dream, especially from the lower leagues."

The match itself was packed with drama. Crewe started brightly, but after surviving the first few minutes City began to take control. Their best chance evaporated when Tony Canham's shot rebounded off the bar.

It was 0-0 at full time. In extra time, Gary Swann scored first for City. And so the scoreline remained until the Minstermen were less than a minute away from promotion. Then Steve Tutill handled the ball in the area, and Crewe equalised from the penalty spot.

That meant sudden death: a penalty shoot-out. City goalkeeper Dean Kiely saved Crewe's third spot kick. York scored all their first four.

So if Wayne Hall scored the fifth penalty, York won the match and promotion. Fortunately, he was prepared. Alan Little had asked Wayne to be one of the team's penalty takers, and they had practised in training the week before. Before the shoot-out began, the manager gave simple advice: don't change your mind over which way you are going to shoot and just do your best. "He said, 'you have got the guts to do it'."

It must have been a long walk to the penalty spot for Wayne.

"People have asked me was I nervous? What was I thinking?

"I wasn't thinking anything. I was going to go up, put the ball down and just hit it where I meant to hit it."

He hit it. Hard. "The keeper went the same way but it went in."

What a moment: scoring the winning goal at Wembley.

"I just remember thinking, we're up! I sank to my knees, my arms were up in the air. I turned around and all the players were rushing towards me and Dean. It was a great day."

Wayne has the match on video but has never watched it. Perhaps one day, when he has finished playing, he will play it to his two children, one who was 21 months old and the other who wasn't yet born on that amazing day.

Paul Stancliffe was captain of the promotion-winning City team. He too remembers going onto the pitch before the match and savouring that special Wembley atmosphere.

"The place, it has an aura about it," he said. "Even though there was only a few thousand there it felt like 100,000."

As captain and one of the most experienced players, Paul kept his nerves under check so as to calm the younger players.

When it came to the penalties, he watched from the centre circle. "That's a little bit nerve-wracking. We did play well and we deserved to win, but you couldn't do anything about it."

Thanks to the nerve of the penalty takers, he was soon leading his team up the stairs to the Royal Box to collect the trophy. "That was a great experience. You are following all those great captains up the stairs, players like Bobby Moore in the World Cup Final.

"It was a tremendous moment. It was a schoolboy dream."

One schoolboy who was at the centre of things that day was Alex Bedingham. Now 17 and a student at York Sixth Form College, he was nine at the time and a Junior Red.

He won a contest to be City's Wembley mascot, and travelled down with parents Ann and Joe and sisters Elly and Nicola.

Dressed in full kit, Alex joined the players walking out onto the Wembley turf and lining up for the National Anthem before kick-off.

"It was brilliant. You couldn't beat it," he said. "It was the best thing that could have happened. When Wayne hit the winning penalty everyone went berserk," he recalled. "It was the best moment of your life. No one can take that away from me."

Tomorrow he is travelling to London with his dad to watch England play Germany, the last match at Wembley. Alex will see the great stadium's final curtain, knowing that his part in the history of this great stadium is secure.