It’s a night that will live with me forever. I get goosebumps when I think about it now, and I can’t put into words the pride I feel whenever I hear Leeds fans sing the song about the “f***ing great goal.” It was a night that dreams are made of. It was the night we achieved qualification against all the odds in the Champions League. It was a night where 9,000 Leeds fans sang their hearts out, and it was night where we joined them after the game to celebrate with them. Radio 5 Live presenter Alan Green described it as the “finest example of player-fan bonding I’ve ever seen” and he wasn’t wrong. I can’t put into words what it meant – and still means – to have been a part of things that night. After the game, we went back to our hotel on the banks of Lake Como and celebrated as a club, players and staff. I remember bumping into Peter Ridsdale in the lift when I was on my way to bed and he was going down for breakfast. It felt like we were a club united, and we could take on the world. It felt like we were at the top of our game and could achieve something special. And it felt like we were all in it together – fans and players as one. I can’t believe it’s 20 years ago.
To celebrate I’m going to do an anniversary prize giveaway TONIGHT for everyone who has signed up for the site over the past few months. Jess and I will have a good look around at the Milan memorabilia in the house. It was a shared moment then, it’s been a shared moment ever since, and we’ll share the anniversary together.
