THANK you to all those fans who sent in their memories surrounding the Milk Cup Final of 1985.
March 24, 2010 was the 25th anniversary of the day when then City Captain Dave Watson held the trophy aloft at Wembley. We've reproduced a selection of memories here but if you have anything you would like to add then email them in to us via media-ncfc-canaries.co.uk.
All those that have taken part have been placed in a draw to win a copy of the Milk Cup Heroes DVD currently on sale from the Canary Store. The winners will be contacted directly.
On the afternoon of the final, I was on an exercise on a submarine off Portland. I heard the first ten minutes on the world service and then the submarine went below periscope depth and stayed there for about three hours so we lost the radio and heard no more. When we eventually surfaced about 6pm my radio operator friend Nobby, also a norwich supporter, got the result off a helicopter pilot over the radio. I eventually got a video of the game sent to me about five weeks later. M. Newson, Bury St Edmunds
A good friend from ICI in Fleetwood, who was goalkeeper for Fleetwood Town, was a Sunderland fan and got me a ticket.
I met up with him and his mates at Knutsford services on the M6 for an early morning drive down to London. Once in the stadium car park, we opened up the boot, took out a crate of beer and got a kick-about going with the early arriving fans from both teams joining in. It turned into a great pre-match party. The game itself was of course historic and put behind us the defeats at the hands of the Villa and Spurs. I seemed to be the only Norwich fan in a sea of 40,000 Sunderland fans, but at the end of the game I was overwhelmed by the sportsmanship and camaraderie of the true football fan. Every fan around me congratulated Norwich on their success saying that the best team had won on the day. I walked out of the stadium with my green and yellow scarf held high in the Sunderland throng and felt proud to have attended what was truly the friendly final. David Rolph, Guildford
Ah the memories!!!! I can remember being about 15 years old and I went to the game with a friend of my dads. I had the white away strip on then. I can remember the game quite well but the biggest part that jogs my memory is I was on TV, I was spinning my scarf round and round above my head.
Apparently my parents were at home watching the game both looked at each other, paused for a second and then said: 'Thats Chris!!!" Both at exactly the same time. A lot of my friends at school at the time had seen it too so when I got back to school on the Monday I was a bit of a celeb!!!!!
Haven't seen it myself, caught a bit of it on Match of the Day once years later when they did an article when Norwich were top of the Premiership.
I now live in new zealand so my visits to Carrow Road are few and far between but its always the first thing I do early Sunday morning (NZ time) -checking the results on my iphone. Chris Wells, Auckland New Zealand
I remember my Auntie ringing to say she had me a ticket,
I remember £13 was a month of money,
I remember £13 was nothing at all,
I remember knowing we were going to win, and they would miss a penalty,
I remember scarves battering the windows of a Hillman Imp as we travelled up the M4,
I remember seeing the twin towers as we approached down Hanger Lane,
I remember meeting family on the steps under the tower,
I remember the excitement and anticipation,
I remember being to the right of the royal box,
I remember someone being lifted by fans out of our seated enclosure,
I remember screaming at my dad and he still couldn't hear me,
I remember the start of the 2nd half and the ball was going out,
I remember it stayed in,
I remember Asa, and Sir Gordon Chisolm,
I remember elation and ecstasy,
I remember the penalty,
I remember I couldn't watch and then I could,
I remember they missed,
I remember John Devine shouting orders from the touchline,
I remember someone not knowing how long was left,
I remember he asked again and again,
I remember he stopped,
I remember we won,
I remember Watson lifting the cup,
I remember Chris Woods with the cup on his head,
I remember seeing Sunderland fans after the game,
I remember the Chelsea Sunderland semi,
I remember they shook our hands and said well done,
I remember the flag they gave me,
I remember the friendly final,
I remember Liverpool winning the Cup 4 years in a row,
I remember it being ours,
I remember the pride.
If I never have another day, that will be enough,
On the Ball City, never mind the danger
Adam Blythe
I was 12 at the time and travelled down to London on the bus from Fakenham with my Dad. We arrived early and I remember there being a mass kick about between a large number of fans in the car park. Once in the stadium we found a spot about half-way back behind the goal. I remember a parachutist landing on the roof of the stadium before kick-off. From the game I have vivid memories of Dave Hodgon's early shot just clearing Chris Woods' cross bar, Mark Barham's athletic volley late-on, and the penalty. From my view I was sure Woods had saved it. I don't remember much of the build-up to the goal, except just seeing the ball appearing in the bottom of the net followed by the celebrations. At the final whistle I remember being hugged by Dad and then the long shuffling to get out of the stadium. Like many people I had a flag for the day, which still hangs in the garage with someone's footprint clearly visible after it was trodden on walking back to the bus. This was my first away experience and in those days following Norwich away was not as popular as it is now. The day certainly fuelled my passion for travelling away from home. Now as an exiled fan living in the North West I hope to develop the same passion in my two young sons.
Andy Pegg, Preston
Am I the unluckiest Canary Fan ever? I've seen the team on all three occasions they made it to Wembley, but have never seen them score.........
I and a whole host of other fans - having queued for the loo for most of the half-time interval - missed Asa's only goal of the game.
When the cheer went up I dashed up to the nearest entrance to get a view of the pitch, quickly adjusting my attire as I went, I had to ask a 'bobby' what had happened!
My misfortune then continued when I got home to find that my son - who was a toddler at the time - and now masquerading as Canary Pete on various chat-rooms - had wiped the video recording clean.
Aaaargh! Mike Saull
I was only about 12 and went to Wembley with my now late dad and had a brilliant day, but other than seeing Dave Watson lifting the cup aloft for the mighty canaries, when we were leaving our bus conked out but that still didn't ruin my day! Paul Thompson
I wasn't at Wembley for the Milk Cup final because I was running in the Breckland 10-mile road race at Thetford. Struggling up a hill towards the end of the race, a small blackboard had been placed on the roadside outside a cottage. It read: "Wembley latest: City 1 Sunderland 0." I celebrated by sprinting the last mile!
As a reporter at Anglia Television, I was assigned to cover the open top bus ride through Norwich with a film crew. I had to leap off the bus before reaching City Hall to rush the tape back to Anglia House in time for that night's news bulletin.
Chris Young, Truro, Cornwall
"Cornwall Canaries"
I remember the semi final, listening to the radio and going absolutely crazy when we beat Ipswich! That was tense, I couldn't get a ticket, and don't remember much about what happened, though I remember the Radio Norfolk presenter saying that Ipswich had scored in the last minute, only to then correct his statement by exclaiming that Steve Bruce had cleared the ball off the line....I was in bits!!
Shortly before the final my dad (who is an Arsenal fan) sat me down with the sad news that 'WE' wouldn't be able to go as he was having a long overdue hernia operation......fortunately even at 15, I had the foresight to pre-empt this and had already bought my ticket for the match and the coach!
You should have seen my dad's face when I said 'Its OK dad, I've already got my ticket!!' Not only this but somehow and I still don't remember how to this day, I had managed to get tickets to the left of the Royal Box area...just where the team were walking past with the Cup, about 10 steps from the pitch, and I can be clearly seen on the TV coverage going mad with my scarf tied to my wrist at the end!!
Things didn't look good before the match; on the coach on the way to Wembley.....as we came in to London we were rammed off the road ........by a MINI! As the coach driver started to pull over, a load of kids came from nowhere and were throwing rocks at the coach! I was terrified, fortunately the police were pretty quick turning up, and the youths disappeared.
After the match I remember crying........a lot......I met some Sunderland fans on the way to my coach, they were crying too..... it was really emotional and we both shook hands and swapped my scarf for a Sunderland one. We hugged and said 'See you next year'
We sang the entire journey back to Norwich!! It was one of the happiest memories of my life.
Lee Blowers
I was at Wembley for the 1985 Milk Cup Final, but had to go to the toilet at half-time. The queues were huge and the second-half had re-started before I emerged from the gents. As I rushed back up the stairs to my place on the terrace I heard a huge roar as Asa Hartford scored via a deflection. I had to wait until the following day to actually see the goal (no Sky Sports News in those days!).
Having been at both the 1973 and 1975 League Cup Finals I have yet to see City score at Wembley! I can live with that if we win League 1 in the next few weeks.
PS. My record at the Millennium Stadium is a little better on the goal scoring front though...
On The Ball City!
Phil Isbill
Was it really 25 years ago? Blimey.
I was 16 at the time and living in North London. An exiled Canaries fan, I had put up with several years of good-natured abuse from friends at school who supported more 'fashionable' clubs in the shape of Arsenal, Spurs and West Ham.
The League Cup was much more of a big deal back in those days - the winners of course qualified for the UEFA Cup and our appearance in the final suddenly earned me grudging (and fleeting!) respect from my mates at school.
We managed to get hold of two tickets to the final but my step-dad Colin, after much consideration, decided he didn't want to go. Colin had supported the Canaries as a lad but had lapsed in adult life and after some humming and hahing chose to give his ticket to our family friend Ben.
As the day drew near I found it hard to sleep at nights because I was too excited. I wasn't much of a one for replica shirts and I was (and still am) very superstitious when it comes to following City, so the only yellow and green item I took on the day was my lucky 'old school' bar scarf. I remember the tube train we got on when the morning arrived was rammed full of Norwich fans belting out 'On The Ball City' to bemused Londoners.
It was the first time I had been to the famous old stadium and walking from the tube station I became quite emotional as we approached the Twin Towers. They were such an iconic image, in those days synonymous with success in the national game. If you got to Wembley, you'd got to the big time - and here were Norwich fans in their thousands, walking along Wembley Way on merit.
The banter with the Sunderland fans was brilliant before, during and after the match. We were behind the goal in the Norwich end once we got inside and though it was a sea of yellow and green around us, there were large pockets of Black Cats fans near where we were. I still reckon there were more than 100,000 quoted in the official attendance figure.
The game was a bit of a blur - From the moment Hartford's shot deflected off Gordon Chisholm's chest and into the net in front of us, I spent most of the game counting down the time remaining.
When the final whistle went we were in heaven. An old guy next to me was in tears and just kept saying 'all my life I've waited for this!' over and over again. Believe it or not Ben wanted us to leave BEFORE the cup was presented to Dave Watson, so we could beat the rush to the tube station! I said: 'You go - I'm staying!' and we both watched the happy scenes as the team received the cup and paraded it round the pitch.
Both sets of supporters chanted the name of the opposition at the end, something which in the moody mid-eighties I had never encountered before.
On the Monday morning I walked in to school holding my scarf aloft and received a generous round of applause from my friends. I still have the old maths exercise book where after some typically bodged homework handed in that day, the teacher had written in red ink 'Norwich may have won the cup, but you have lost your marbles. See me!'
Later in life my step-dad Colin told me that as he sat down and watched the Canaries emerging from the tunnel led by Ken Brown before the game on telly, he realised he wanted to be there with me after all. I remember in the days that followed he laminated, framed and mounted a double-page Milk Cup Final spread from Match or Shoot magazine which had the headline 'ASA'S DIAMONDS!' on my bedroom wall.
Although he was disappointed, the Milk Cup Final proved to be the spark that reignited his love for the Canaries. Joe Ferrari, Head of Media NCFC
It was a great day. My friend from Paris (a Scot!) travelled over to go to the game with me. The sense of anticipation was breathtaking. I was keen to show him that English football wasn't all about hooligans (a big issue at the time). So anyway, en route to Wembley we took the tube and mixed quite happily with Sunderland fans and the banter was hilarious but friendly. It actually was destined to be "the friendly final". However, the jovial atmosphere was severely punctured by an unwelcome invasion of so-called Chelsea fans, all in their smart tank tops and Chinos - not club colours. They wielded knives and threatened City and Sunderland fans alike. Fortunately we did not witness any injuries but some of the older fans were shaking with fear after the event…..but that was nothing compared to the adrenalin rush of walking out into Wembley. A lasting memory is of the good-natured rivalry between Sunderland and Norwich fans in and around the stadium. A day to remember even though the general violence associated with that era prevented us from going into Europe…..and I don't recall drinking much milk after our famous victory! Richard Pechey
Having left my wife in the maternity ward of the N&N, "no need to stay Mr Brown" was the message, myself and three friends (Patrick, Terry and Dennis), jumped into our hired Morris Marina (oh yes, classy). We parked at Stanmore and took the tube to Wembley with lots of other City fans, singing and waving scarfs etc. We managed to frequent a few hostelries before taking our place `standing' on the Wembley terraces. I can remember being hit in the face by an over excited city fan when Asa went `in-off' the defender and I was knocked to the ground, but that didnt matter as we had scored. We all held our breath as Clive Walker missed his penalty, we knew then it must be our turn for a wembley victory. Fantastic scenes at the end to cheer on our heroes on their lap of honour. What I remember most was the great rapport between the fans of both teams, before and after (very different to our previous Wembley visits). After finding our way back to Norwich in the Marina we were passed by most cars with trails of yellow and green hanging out of the windows. I returned home to find a note on the doormat from my mother-in-law telling me that I was now the father of a beautiful little girl (Victoria). As I had returned the Marina to the hire company I now had to call on my father-in-law to take me to the hospital to see my wonderfully forgiving wife and our first baby daughter. What a day!
Gary Brown
My memories of the Milk Cup was firstly Bruce's goal against Ipswich and the final. First off my girlfriend (wife now ) kept saying had I booked a coach? 'I'll do it tomorrow!' (like every man), when I did book the only thing left was an old double decker but it was worth it when the players walked out at Wembley - I cried and was even worse when we scored and the final whistle went.
Paul Banthorpe
My memory of the day is travelling as an excited 17 year old with three other friends to Wembley on that great day to be met with a sea of yellow and green down Wembley Way and in the old stadium itself. Being in Wembley like sardines and meeting some other people near us who we knew from Cromer which was funny as we didnt know they were going and there was100,000 there after all .
A great game with Dave Watson lifting the trophy but one of the most amazing things was walking back up Wembley Way after the game and mingling with the Sunderland fans who seemed just as pleased as we were to be there for a great game even though they lost - what great support from both sides regardless of if the result went for or against you . Now just waiting for the yellows to get there again so as a forty something I can take my three children back there and hope their memories of the day will match their dads all them years ago!!!!! Happy days. Richard Cleaver
What a great day. My abiding memory was mixing with the Sunderland fans on the tube on the way home after the match.
We were singing 'We won the cup, we won the cup eiaddio we won the cup' and the Sunderland fans started singing 'We scored the goal, we scored the goal etc'.
It really was the friendly final. OTBC. Steve Carter, Smallfield Surrey
It was a world without mobile phones, without internet booking, yet it's hard to see where the quarter of a century has gone since I set out from Arklow to see City and Sunderland's date with destiny in the 1985 Milk Cup Final. Canary fans would be as rare as hen's teeth in this part of Ireland, a fact the current crop of Irish players in the team would confirm.
Having made it to the Carrow Road leg of the semi-final, nothing would keep me from the Wembley date. I flew over to London on the Saturday morning (cost £104 - you could make that journey a lot cheaper nowadays), met up with my cousin who lived in Willesden at the time and who provided me with hospitality, perhaps too much hospitality, before making the short trip on the tube to Wembley on the Sunday morning.
The sheer scale of Wembley Stadium and the history of the place were so impressive. I had a South Stand Seat, Row 18 Seat 25 just in line with the goal which as defended by Norwich in the second half.
Norwich did deserve to win the game, they dominated midfield where Peter Mendham had a great game as did Mark Barham on the flank. I had a poor view of the goal coming as it did early in the second half, with people still taking their seats, but it was great work by John Deehan to rob the ball and put the perfect pass in which led to Asa Hartford's deflected strike.
Then came the penalty, it seemed only seconds after Norwich had taken the lead, but was nearer 3 minutes afterwards. From my position in the stand it wasn't clear whether Woods had pulled off a world class save or, as did happen, Clive Walker's spot kick had hit the base of the post and gone out for a goal kick. I was too busy cheering the fact that the lead was still intact that it was only when the resulting goal kick was being taken that I made a mental note that Woods hadn't actually touched the ball. To this day though, I am convinced Chris had "got it covered".
It was a long second half after that, and in fairness, Norwich did dominate. However, I recall Woods pulling off a decent save from distance in the closing minutes.
The final whistle - I had been at the making of a piece of the Club's history. Dave Watson was presented with the Milk Cup, the lap of honour. Outside the stadium, the aftermath of The Friendly Final - I exchanged scarves with an unknown fan from the north-east, a word of congratulation, a word of commisseration. Then it was time to find a tube back to Heathrow and catch the flight back to Ireland.
On the Ball City.... Billy Roberts, Arklow, Co. Wicklow, Ireland
I was 10 years old when Norwich won the Milk Cup. I was stood directly behind the goal when the ball deflected off the Sunderland defender. Then came the penalty. There were a group of Sunderland fans behind us who threw a flag when the penalty was awarded. As I threw it back to them I accidently hit my dad in the face with it, who had had his nose broken two weeks earlier playing football himself. Luckily Clive Walker missed the penalty. Andy in Germany
What a way to celebrate my birthday...I can't believe it was 25 years ago!
As an exile on the Wirral getting a ticket to the final was amazing enough but to be there to see us win was the best birthday present I've ever had! I travelled down with Dave, my brother-in-law who is actually an Evertonian but now an adopted City fan.
We met up with my brother Nick, another exile who came up from Bristol for the game. The atmosphere before, during and after the game was fantastic and hats off to the Sunderland fans who were brilliant before, during and after the game. I remember Walker missing the penalty for Sunderland and thinking..it might just be our day. Then early in the second-half Hartford's shot was deflected off Chisolm into the net sparking off scenes that I've never witnessed before or since, amazing. The rest of the second-half flew by and despite the odd nervous moment the belief was always there that we could do it. Seeing the trophy lifted and the lap of honour was my proudest moment as a City fan. The journey back to the Wirral seemed to take no time at all. What a day!! Having seen us lose in both the 1973 and 1975 finals by 1-0 margins to Tottenham and Villa respectively it was perhaps fitting that we should win it by the same score. Adrian Keeler
My initial memory of the 1985 Milk Cup was going to Ipswich and losing 1-0 in the first leg of the semi-final. We played really badly that day and to be quite honest got off lightly. We couldn't be that bad again and so it proved. I was standing in the River End when Brucie scored that header and I can still see the picture that was in the paper the following day of the shear happiness on the Norwich players and the dejection on theirs (pure magic)!! The whole game we were up for it and once we equalised there was only going to be one winner.
In the final I got tickets for myself and my Dad. We travelled by coach to Wembley - I think the quietest coach out of Norwich! After the game the whole coach was silent and the Sunderland one next to us was having a party! However, it remains one of the happiest times of watching the Canaries and I made the souvenir salesmen very rich that day. Now having a Season ticket with my wife (since the relegation from the Premier League) I tell her that when the good times come you appreciate them more. Let's hope we can celebrate in May. OTBC. Paul Marshall
Having been a season ticket holder with my Dad since being inspired by our 1975 Wembley appearance, I was away at university when we next got to Wembley, so in 1985 I remember being desperate not to miss out on an opportunity that clearly wasn't going to come around too often! I think I eventually persuaded my not-too-keen younger brother to join the queue at 5am to get me a ticket. Needless to say, it was a brilliant day out. I remember us playing better than Sunderland, but I was nervous throughout that we were going to blow it. When we gave away the penalty, I thought we had, but as we know it all ended up well. I still have the shaky pictures that I took of Dave Watson and the team parading the cup in front of us at the end … Adrian Jones
I was 16 at the time, I had been to the home leg of the Semi-Final against Ipswich, and the atmosphere that night at Carrow Road considering we only had three stands open, due to the main stand fire, was phenomenal. I recall walking out of a packed River End and everyone singing 'were going to Wembley', nothing was going to stop me. Seem to remember queuing for hours to get a Wembley ticket application prior to a sell out home game against Villa, when it seemed the whole of Norfolk had got cup fever. On the day I travelled with a school friend and his parents, we had both died our hair green and both had the compulsory flag. The sight of the sea of yellow and green that met my eyes on Wembley Way will live with me forever. As for the game it seemed to pass so quickly, I remember the goal as I was right behind it, I remember shouting till I was horse, I remember not being able to look when Walker missed his penalty and I remember feeling so proud when Watson hoisted the Cup. I also remember how happy I was for players like Channon and Hartford, great professionals who, even though at the end of their respective careers, had bought something special to Norwich. Sean Mayes, Boston, Lincolnshire
I remember the day so very well still
Like so many others I´m sure,
When Hartford took aim and went for the kill
With a shot some said wasn´t pure.
But without a shot no goal will appear
So he deserved all that he got,
And it matters not to anyone here
The important thing, we took the pot.
My work on that day was a long way away
In a land right over the sea,
So the ups and downs of that special day
I shared with my old tv.
But the roar that came when Dave Watson held
That cup well up over his head,
I´ll never forget as emotion it welled
Up inside, heavy as lead.
OTBC. B.King
I remember the day as if it was yesterday. My work colleagues bought tickets and I was asked to go along. Having been to most home and a few away games during those 80's seasons it was a thrill to go to Wembley. To be honest with you I was a Man Utd fan but the more I went to see my local side the more I got to know the Norwich stars. But, after that Milk Cup truimph that was it for me I was a true and avid Norwich Fan from then onwards. The Cup day was a tremendoes day from the early start taking a canary bus to London and turning into Wembley car park and seeing all yellow and green. Fantastic day to remember, but now I reside in Brisbane Australia but tune in at midnight every Saturday (9hour time difference), to listern to the boys on Canaries Player. Tony Mortimer, Australia
What a great day that was! We decided almost at short notice to see if we could get tickets, two mates and Canary supporters stationed at RAF Benson, Mark Swainston from Lowestoft (first irony) and me from East Rudham. Mark supported Norwich but also had watched Sunderland FC (second irony) because he had family living there. It transpired that Norwich had sold out of tickets so we tried his family in Sunderland and they managed to get us 2 tickets. We saw the match from the Sunderland end of the stadium and what a great atmosphere it was. I would like to say that my experience travelling to, during and travelling away from the match was fantastic, the Sunderland supporters were joyful and friendly. It was great to see, especially in an era when a lot of clubs' supporters were out for nothing more than violent and disorderly behaviour.
This is one of the memorable occasions in my life! OTBC! Alex Peaston, somewhere in the North West.
I was 17 and went with my parents and 10 year old brother. We ended up travelling there on a coach organised by the Worlds End pub in Mulbarton. I remember after the game walking back to the coach in the opposite direction to the Sunderland supporters and being rather vocal in our victory, when these very large, shaven headed men came towards us - we suddenly went very quiet! One of them was holding his Sunderland scarf between his hands. He appeared rather menacing and when he lifted his arms towards us I was scared and my dad looked as though he was ready to protect us! But all he did was place his scarf around my brothers neck and ruffled his hair and said something like 'great game' to him. My brother cherished that scarf and still has it to this day. Karen, Attleborough
I was a 16 year old living in Croydon, Surrey and had no ticket but a love of NCFC so got on a bus at South Croydon bus garage and somehow made it to Wembley via bus, train and tube. Walking toward the famous old stadium I was approached by a tout with a Sunderland ticket for £25 with a face value of £10. I haggled him down to £15. Bought a cup final flag and took my seat in with the red and white army.
Feeling a little out of place I went to grab a beer and got chatting to a few lads from Norfolk who promised to get me into the Norwich end on the terrace right at the back. Five minutes later two of the lads reappeared with a ticket stub that got me right at the back of the terracing behind the goal of that famous deflection for Asa.
They didnt ask for anything in return. Those guys made my day so I would like to thank them whoever they were and wherever they are now. StJohn Kitching OTBC
I was 19 at the time and living in London. However, I had lived in Norwich as a child and had always been a staunch City fan. I was a member of the Capital Canaries and travelled to nearly all home and away games at the time so NCFC was my life. Getting to Wembley was an absolute dream. I remember shaking more hands that day of the friendly final than I think I have in all the days since put together! Credit to the Sunderland fans and I have to say ever since that day I regard Sunderland with great affection. The game is a blur, the occasion was overwhelming, but certain images are lodged in my memory. The goal and the penalty miss are the two obvious ones, however others include the sheer sea of yellow and green belting out On The Ball City, Louie Donowa flying down the wing, Mick Channon's face on the lap of honour, a group of so called Chelsea fans trying to attack the Sunderland supporters on the way to the stadium and simply being ignored as City and Sunderland fans continued to shake hands, my flag with the bent stick (which would still be on my bedroom wall now if it wasn't for the wife!) and finally getting back to South London draped in yellow and green and having a lonely celebration in the local pub!!! Matt Banyard
Living in Kent at the time it was a comparatively short train journey to the Pindar of Wakefield pub in deepest London, which had been given special permission to open at 10.30am on that Sunday, a rare event made possible by the owners being Canary fans..Needless to say many pints were sunk before setting off for the ground and the whole of the rest of the day is somewhat blurred. Can still see Dennis giving away the pen and Walker putting it wide and Dixie robbing the Sunderland defender before giving it back to Asa to score, but little else remains lodged in the memory banks. Had a raging headache by full time which got worse as I made my way back into central London so decided to bail out ...many good memories of the Sunderland fans sporting behaviour before and after the match. Made sure that I acted in the same way in 92 offering congratulations and good luck wishes to all the Mackem fans I saw after the FA Cup semi at Hillsborough, despite the disappointment...and proud to have been the first fans fit to return to the scene of the horrific events of 1989 semi. March 24, 1985 remains my favourite NCFC memory - still have the original VCR recording of our first televised match which adds in all the bits the beer blotted out! Couldn't believe going into work the next day when everyone said what a boring match it was..........not for me it wasn't ! Patrick H
It's not too late - What is your memory of March 24, 1985? Send it in to us at media@ncfc-canaries.co.uk and we'll post it on here.
The Milk Cup Heroes DVD, also available from the Canary Store, hears from manager Ken Brown and one of his finalists Mark Barham as they relive the road to Wembley, that epic semi-final against local rivals Ipswich Town and that day at Wembley when Dave Watson lifted the trophy for the Canaries.
It also features the full 90 minutes of the 1-0 victory over Sunderland, highlights of the semi-final against Ipswich Town and the post-match celebrations.
Speaking from Milk Cup Heroes, Ken Brown said: "It's electrifying when you first come out at Wembley, because you don't hear anything in the dressing rooms, it's very, very quiet. Then you go out and it's like an electric shock that hits you - the volume of the crowd, the cheering and the shouting it's an unbelievable feeling.
"There wasn't a bit of disturbance in the crowd, Sunderland supporters were tremendous and everyone seemed to mix and it didn't seem to matter where you went in the stadium it was very light-hearted, free and easy and very nice and a great atmosphere - and I think it was a tremendous day."
Former City winger Mark Barham added: "I wasn't expecting to walk out to our fans and then suddenly realised we've walked out to just this big sea of yellow and green.
"What a fantastic day to play in front of 100,000 people and then you're playing at Wembley as well."
The Milk Cup Heroes DVD is available by calling 0844 826 1902, online or by visiting the Canary Stores at Carrow Road or The Mall, Norwich.
