JOE Royle doesn't mince his words: "It was quite arguably the biggest game in the club's recent history."

It was 10 years ago yesterday that Royle's City side produced the mother of all comebacks to beat Gillingham at Wembley in the third tier play-off final.

Much has happened at the club in the decade since - one stadium move, two high-profile takeovers, four managerial changes and the smashing of the British transfer record.

But there have been few moments to top the drama, and the huge significance, of that rainy Sunday afternoon on May 30, 1999.

To their great credit, City's current board have fully recognised that. Before last weekend's final Premier League match against Bolton, five members of the '99 side were paraded on the pitch.

And the reception from the stands for Paul Dickov, Andy Morrison, Gerard Wiekens, Tony Vaughan and Gareth Taylor was a sure sign that the fans have not forgotten just how far City have come in 10 years.

"When you look at where City are now, it's incredible to think about just how far they've travelled," Royle said.

"Back in the late 90s, we were taking players such as Ian Bishop, who was in his 30s then, to push us over the line, rather than spending £30m on people. The progress has been re-markable."

Turning point

Wembley 1999 was un-questionably a turning point for the club. Having finished fifth in the top flight in 1992, the Blues had crashed down to the third tier within six years.

They had to stop the decline before it became terminal. They had to get out of Division Two at the first attempt.

"It was a hard season," Royle said. "It's not an easy division to get out of, as Leeds have discovered and Southampton, Norwich and Charlton will find out next season.

"We were 12th at Christmas and had to push hard over the second half of the season just to make sure we were in the play-offs.

"The fans were wonderful all season. These were supporters who had been used to away trips to Old Trafford and Anfield, and now here they were at Colchester and Wycombe.

"That was where the chants of `We're not really here' started.

"And we were still attracting so many big gates. Away teams would bring larger followings to Maine Road than they usually got at home. It was a big day out for them."

City's late push almost took them up automatically, but Walsall held them off to claim second spot behind Fulham.

A tense two-legged semi-final against Wigan was won by Shaun Goater's close-range effort, but Royle insists that captain Morrison also deserves a share of the praise.

He said: "I always said that Andy Morrison was terrific for us that season. We needed a leader, and he was that man - and he could play, too. He had an impact on the team and he had an impact on the fans as well."

Cagey

There was little indication during the first 80 minutes at Wembley that the day would go down in City folklore, as both teams played a cagey game.

Then with nine minutes to go, Carl Asaba fired Gillingham ahead. When Bob Taylor made it two in the 86th minute, Royle thought it was all over.

He said: "When we went 2-0 down, I turned to my assistant Willie Donachie and said: `Looks like Scunny next year.'

"Scunthorpe had won the Third Division play-off the previous day, and we thought we would be staying in Division Two to meet them.

"But Kevin Horlock scored, and Asa Hartford came bouncing through to the front of the dugout and said there would be five minutes of stoppage time.

"And then Paul Dickov got the equaliser.

"It was one of those slow-motion moments.

"When I arrived at City, there was no more enthusiastic man about the place than Dicky, but whenever the ball landed at his feet, he would get over-excited and slash at it.

"So we'd spent all season working with him to show a bit more composure. And when the ball fell to him right at the end at Wembley, I was just hoping that he would keep his head - and he did.

Post

"And at that moment, I thought we were going to do it in extra time, because Gillingham had taken off both of their strikers.

"Shaun hit the post, but we couldn't find the winner. And so we had to do it on penalties.

"We had been practising penalties all week, and Dicky had been unerring. He'd been drilling them right into the corners, hitting the back stanchion with practically every one.

"And yet when it came to the shoot-out at Wembley, he was the only one of our takers to miss.

"On the other hand, Nicky Weaver hadn't got near too many of the spot-kicks in training, but ended up saving two on the day.

"Who knows what the consequences of another season in that division would have been?

"Would the fans could have stomached another year of going to Layer Road and Saltergate?"

The fans were ecstatic, and yet Royle was in no mood to party.

He said: "The celebrations were muted, it has to be said. I know there was talk about having a bus parade.

"But I just felt it was wrong for Manchester City to be celebrating getting out of the third tier of English football."

Twelve months later, though, there was a huge party as City secured a second successive promotion with a 4-1 win at Blackburn.

Royle left City in 2001, later spending three-and-a-half years in charge at Ipswich, before making a brief return to Oldham in March.

What are your memories of that day in 99? Have your say.