In 1999 Graham Taylor's Watford earned promotion to the Premier League for the first time, thanks to that famous play-off final victory against Bolton Wanderers.
But the Golden Boys only made it to Wembley following a dramatic penalty shoot-out win at the end of a tense two-legged semi-final against Birmingham City.
Now, 21 years on from that dramatic night at St Andrew's, the key figures in the shoot-out win talk through just how it happened...
Peter Kennedy Scores [Birmingham 0-1 Watford]
“I knew I was going first and I told Pagey if we won the toss, I wanted to go first. I can't remember being nervous, but I just had in my head where I was going to put it. I had a good idea Kevin Poole knew where I was going to put it. He got a hand to it but it went in off the post. It gave us the perfect start and then Paul Furlong came up and missed his penalty.”
Alec Chamberlain Saves From Paul Furlong [Birmingham 0-1 Watford]
“Kenny Jackett had given me the inside on this one, and Furlong's body shape also gave it away, really. He was always going that way. He hit it pretty well but, because I'd made up my mind which way I was going to go, I was able to get a strong hand to it and keep it out. I was really pleased with that save.”
Steve Palmer Misses [Birmingham 0-1 Watford]
“I just mis-kicked it. I picked a square in the net and tried to just focus on that and aim at that. The ball wasn't quite sitting right and it went past the post.”
Martin Grainger Scores [Birmingham 1-1 Watford]
Richard Johnson Scores [Birmingham 1-2 Watford]
“I felt a bit of pressure as Palms had missed and then Grainger scored, so if I had missed it would have piled a bit of pressure on us. Alan Brazil said on commentary about me being a 'cool customer', but I wasn't feeling very cool at all when it came off the underside of the bar.”
Gary Rowett Scores [Birmingham 2-2 Watford]
Darren Bazeley Scores [Birmingham 2-3 Watford]
“We practised penalties all week in the build-up to the game and you were only allowed to take one per session. If you missed, that was it. I did the same walk up, the same putting the ball down, the same run up, so by the time I got to this game, I knew exactly what I was going to do. The gaffer prepared us so well for this shoot-out. I never felt we would lose the shoot-out. I was so confident. I don't think I could have it any better. I remember the commentator said, ‘Pace, power, top corner. 'Keeper no chance’. I've used that line a few times.”
Lee Bradbury Scores [Birmingham 3-3 Watford]
Tommy Mooney Scores [Birmingham 3-4 Watford]
“It was the biggest penalty I had taken in my life, but I was so focused and I hit it better than I hit anything else in my career. It was so clean and so accurate. The relief was huge. I wouldn't have cared had I scuffed it in the corner.”
Bryan Hughes Scores [Birmingham 4-4 Watford]
Robert Page Scores [Birmingham 4-5 Watford]
“I'd seen a few players had had an issue with the penalty spot. I also had a Birmingham fan who had his pants around his ankles and was slapping his bum to try and put me off! How I kept my composure, I don't know, but I just felt an enormous sense of relief when the ball hit the back of the net.”
Darren Purse Scores [Birmingham 5-5 Watford]
Allan Smart Scores [Birmingham 5-6 Watford]
“I practised with Wrighty for ages and I hit that penalty for fun. I think I hit between 100 and 200 penalties for 10 days in the build-up to that game. If you had put me in the net for Birmingham that night I would have saved every one as I knew where every one was going. I knew where I was going and it was half a yard away from the inside of the post and where I would have liked it, but that was just a bit of anxiety.”
Kevin Poole Scores [Birmingham 6-6 Watford]
Alon Hazan Scores [Birmingham 6-7 Watford]
“I looked into the 'keeper's eyes until the last moment. He was looking intense and I looked at him all the time when I was running up so I was so confident in putting the ball in the other corner. I was a penalty taker most of my career and only missed once or twice. I was our penalty taker in the friendlies but then I got injured.”
Alec Chamberlain Saves From Chris Holland [Birmingham 6-7 Watford]
“It's not as good as the Furlong save. It was a poor penalty [from Chris Holland] and I went the right way. He looked nervous. There was no science to this one, I just went that way through instinct. It was just to my left and went perfectly for me.”
