The difference between yesterday's final and 1991 for me...

[Dick Knights Mumm]

It felt like 91 to me all over again before we got to the stadium. I felt the Notts County fans were more up to it than us, and it felt like that on Sunday walking past the City pubs.

But inside the stadium it was our day. From the singing of the club songs (they didn't) to Jade the Legend, it was destined to be our day.

 

[elbowpatches]

91 was a learning experience for me, I thought we were invincible, and learnt how to deal with extreme disappointment. Sunday I learnt extreme pleasure of winning a big one off game.

 

[chips and gravy]

There were several major differences for me:

1. Cardiff was a much better stadium - somehow the height and closeness to the pitch made it more intimidating, like a cauldron of noise. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up when I entered at about 2pm!

2. Being in the city centre was much better than out in the sticks in some god-forsaken part of London

3. Brighton fans have been through the mill and come out the other side a much more tightly knit bunch of people. Having a bit of success hasn't gone to our heads and we are all that much more appreciative of the team than we were in 1991.

4. Winning helped!