Twenty nine years ago more than 40,000 Norwich City fans travelled to English football's spiritual home to witness their beloved club win the Milk Cup for the first time. Over a quarter of a century has now passed since that historic win but the memories from that day are as vivid as ever.
For most Norwich fans it was an unforgettable day, but for one Norwich fan in particular Sunday, March 24 1985 is a day that will live long in the memory.
It was the day that I celebrated my 11th birthday with a trip to Wembley stadium along with 40,000 other Canaries' supporters in what was one of the biggest celebrations this football club has ever had.
And while most fans who marched to the capital that day as part of City's travelling army will have something they hold dear - be it a ticket stub, a photo, a newspaper cutting, a personal anecdote - I have more than just memories, but a piece of history itself.
Asa Hartford might have been City's Wembley hero after his deflected goal proved the decisive strike in the final, but less than a month before it was defender Steve Bruce who was talk of the city.
Bruce's thumping 87th minute header against arch East Anglian rivals Ipswich in the semi-final second leg at Carrow Road shot City to Wembley amid scenes of unbridled joy.
I was just 10 at the time, but won the ball used on the night - and signed by players from both teams - through a competition run by the Norwich Evening News.
I was presented with it by City legend Duncan Forbes on the pitch at Carrow Road before going to the final itself on my birthday.
The prize was rediscovered as part of preparations to move from my house a few years ago.
It had been sitting in my loft in a box in a dark corner!
The ball was star prize in an Evening News competition. You had to collect tokens printed in the paper each night. With my Grandad we rang all our friends and neighbours - and ended up with about 400 tokens and won the ball.”
I was not at the semi-final second leg as it was a night game during the week and had school the next day so had to listen to it on the radio.
I was allowed to go to the next game - the final at Wembley - in what was probably my best birthday present ever.
As a Norwich fan at that age and to have had the ball, to get there by beating Ipswich, it was all pretty sweet and it was my birthday on the final so everything fell into place.”
Although I was just 11 at the time, I remember it as “the friendly final”. We got there early and were behind one of the goals - the one that Norwich scored their goal. We rushed home and watched it on TV as we had recorded it.”
The final might not have been a goal-filled classic, but it will always be remembered by Norwich fans and Sunderland fans alike as the game, which came to be dubbed the friendly final, spawned an enduring friendship between the two clubs.
Fans of both teams shook hands and exchanged drinks and souvenirs before the game. The extent of the friendly rivalry was perhaps best demonstrated when supporters took part in a match rehearsal - practising their own football skills between makeshift goalposts.
We have not been back to Wembley since but keep dreaming!
On the Ball City!
Stuart Betts
Memory added on November 3, 2014
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