Words: Dave Wallis
There will always be debate over what constitutes Swindon Town's greatest moment on the field and as we approach the 40th anniversary of our League Cup win over Arsenal, a different Wembley occasion gave a new era of Town supporters their own special moment.
We had finished 1992/93 in fifth place in Division One, with Leicester City one place lower courtesy of our superior goal difference. Having progressed through our respective semi-finals, the two teams met at the home of English football to decide who entered next season's Premiership.
City had the motivation of having failed at the same hurdle the previous season, we perhaps felt the confidence of two previous Wembley victories under our belts.
Town had the greater of the early possession, but Leicester produced the most danger, with Julian Joachim and David Oldfield both denied by Fraser Digby.
With half time just four minutes away though, it was Town who forced the pace. Craig Maskell back-heeled cheekily into the path of player/manager Glenn Hoddle, who placed his shot meticulously around Kevin Poole in the City goal.
That gave Town supporters reason to enjoy the break, and better was to follow.
Less than three minutes after the restart, John Moncur's pass wide to the left found Maskell, who teed himself up to smash a shot from the corner of the penalty area which clattered in off the far post to give Town a two goal margin.
Another seven minutes passed as Town continued to push forward. Nicky Summerbee swung over a right sided corner which was only half cleared. When Moncur knocked the ball back into the Leicester penalty area, central defender Shaun Taylor stretched his amply-muscled neck to put it beyond Poole to increase the lead to three.
Cue pandemonium in the Town fans' ranks. There was little over half an hour to go and we looked home and dry. That feeling was to last just five minutes.
That was when Joachim tucked away a shot that rebounded off a post, then ten minutes later Steve Walsh touched home a lob that had evaded Digby. Swindon had 21 minutes to hang on to a one goal lead.
We lasted the one.
Steve Thompson fired home to level the scores at 3-3 and turn the tables on the fans' emotions.
Town somehow regained some composure and the tide started swinging again. Poole saved well from Martin Ling, a Taylor header was cleared off the line and Dave Mitchell came off second best with a one-on-one with Poole.
But when substitute Steve White was grounded in the box under a challenge from Colin Hill five minutes from the end, referee David Elleray pointed to the spot.
Up stepped Paul Bodin to blast home from 12 yards to put Town into the Premiership.
The TV audience enjoyed it to the full. Town supporters went through a wide variety of emotions which ultimately culminated in relief and joy. But everyone reserved a thought for the gut wrenching outcome for Leicester and the manner in which they conducted themselves.
Final Score: Leicester City 3 Swindon Town 4
