I spent hours, I mean hours decorating this bloody inflatable hand! It obviously wasn't any Sheffiled Eagles merchandise so it was my mission to make it SE's. My daughter was only 1 then n she decided she might help 1 day n picked the permanent marker up and consequently used it to draw all over my beige carpet! It's prob still there! And back then Sheff Eagles were a swear word in my house, cus it meant me going to the match whilst my Hubby, who could never understand y I wanted to watch RL! Stayed at home with Ella. Thankfully he's got used to me watching the Eagles (he played for the Hawks after I brought him over to my Way of thinking). Anyway back to the inflatable hand! The day came n I forgot it! Gutted. I was so elated after the game, I'd watched the Eagles for 12 years up2 that point and never never thought I would c this day. I'd placed a £1 bet for them to win (I wasn't that optimistic).

I also went in 98 and i was sat with a few Wigan friends of mine and the grief i gave them(being a Saints fan) was fantastic.

My experience of the two weeks surrounding Wembley '98 must be the strangest ever. My dad had been diagnosed with terminal cancer a few weeks beforehand, and I was in termoil in the week leading up to the game, wondering whether or not to go. However, my dad, being the great bloke he was decided for me.
"You'll probably never get this chance again, son", he said. "Get yourself off, don't worry about me". I arranged for a TV to be brought to his room, so he could watch the game, and went on the day, with his blessing. The rest is history, and I'll never forget that great day. What a performance.

My dad said he watched the game when I next went to visit him on the Sunday night. I'm not sure if he would've been strong enough to or not. He passed away the following Friday.

As Charles Dickens said, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times".

Great story Marty, sure your Dad would've been proud watching us from the pearly gates yesterday!!