Gregan‘s Wembley day out

It was the Division Three play-off final against Plymouth Argyle and Gregan had been earmarked as having the potential to go on to bigger things.

That he certainly did, spending the bulk of his career in the top two divisions playing for the likes of Preston North End, West Bromwich Albion and Leeds United.

Those 90 minutes at Wembley, however, have proven to be the sole occasion that he has played at the national stadium. So far, at least.

Because, at the age of 37 Gregan is still playing. He's at Fleetwood Town who last night played the first leg of their play-off semi-final with AFC Wimbledon.

But, he says: "There'll be better players than me that never get to play at Wembley during their career so I'm proud that I played there.

"I've been pretty unlucky in my career because I've lost three play-off finals. I lost with Darlo at Wembley and at the Millennium with Preston and with Leeds so I'm a bit of a Jonah.

"Wembley was a good day for family and friends. Obviously it's not as good when you don't win, but I've played there and nobody can take that away from me."

Although the Guisborough-born defender hoped he would go on to grace Wembley a few more times during his career, he looks back on the occasion with fondness even though Quakers lost 1-0 on the day.

Defeat could not dent the pride that supporters felt at seeing their team underneath the twin towers for the first time.

Around 13,000 of the 43,431 attendance were from the North-East on Saturday, May 25, 1996. It was also a first appearance at the stadium for much of the inexperienced team.

Their average age was only 23 while manager Jim Platt was only six months into the job.

As well as Gregan, other youngsters expected to progress beyond Division Three, with or without Darlington, were talents such as Matty Appleby, Andy Crosby, Anthony Carrs and Robbie Blake.

That the aforementioned five all went on to play at a higher level after leaving Feethams - Blake is still in the Premier League with Bolton Wanderers - demonstrates what a talented bunch they were.

Gregan had made his debut as a 17-year-old in 1991 after emerging from the youth scheme and alongside ex-Newcastle youngster Appleby and Rotherham-born Crosby formed a solid defence in 95-96.

Only two teams in the division - first-placed Preston and runners-up Gillingham - conceded less goals than Darlington whose goalkeeper was Londoner, Paul Newell. He joined mid-season from Barnet, a replacement for Mike Pollitt who is another still in the Premier League, a reserve keeper at Wigan Athletic.

After Pollitt came a five-game cameo for John Burridge. The veteran was used as a stop-gap signing during a period that saw him play in two infamous matches: the FA Cup replay defeat to Rochdale (when the prize was a tie at Anfield) and the only away defeat of the season, 4-1 at Chester City.

Quakers equalled a 50-year-old basement division record by losing only once away all season, the same as Hull City in season 1946-47.

Whereas Burridge turned 44 during his brief stint, Bannister was the elder statesman of the outfield players at 35. But Gregan recalled: "You can get older players that are quite vocal, but Banno wasn't one of them. He led by the way he played.

"We had a crop of young lads who went on to have good careers and I see Darlington have got a few now, hopefully Dan Burn will go on and do the same."

Bannister was enjoying one last hurrah having decided to retire at the end of the season, but Blake was just starting.

The Teessider was another product of the youth set-up and was the youngest in the team, aged 20.

He broke into the team during January, scoring 12 goals including one in the play-off semi-final against Hereford.

Darlington beat Plymouth at Feethams the previous October, 2-0 with Gary Himsworth and Glen Naylor scoring, but despite performing a league double the Pilgrims were the bookies' favourites at Wembley.

They finished fourth, one place ahead of Darlington, and perhaps their more experienced team, led by the wily Neil Warnock, were reckoned to have too much nous.

"We played with three centre-backs, me and Andy Crosby with Matty sweeping up. Not many sides played that way, most teams played with a rigid 4-4-2.

"That was a lot to do with Hodgy and we played some good football.

"Hodgy was the manager before Jim took over, but Hodgy had put a lot of work in and us, as players, felt that it was his team.

"It was a big occasion and I remember things like the pitch being like a carpet and walking out on to Wembley and feeling how hot it was."

Platt's young team were full of technical ability with a reputation for playing good football and, led by the creative spark of Bannister, possessed a natural instinct to play attractively.

Youthful exuberance, however, says Gregan, may have been a factor in defeat.

"In most of those kinds of games it tends to be a case of whoever scores first wins.

"In the finals I played Bolton scored first and went on to win (v Preston), Watford scored first and went on to win (v Leeds) and obviously Plymouth scored first.

"I remember Matty Appleby had a great chance at 0-0 when he went through and should have scored. If that had gone in it would have given us something to defend and would have boosted our confidence.

"But Plymouth scored and we had a lot of young lads in the team so maybe it was all too much for us.

"Had we played that match a year or two later we would have won because we would have all been that little bit more experienced and handled the occasion better."

Gregan kept his shirt as a momento from that day, even though it is hardly in pristine condition. Physio Nigel Carnell used scissors to cut the sleeve to attend to an arm injury when the defender fell awkwardly.

"Not winning is a big regret," he said. "It was my first major final. You look back at the team we had - the likes of Gaughan, Crosby, Appleby, Blake, Bannister - we should have gotten out of that division.

"After that day the wheels fell off and the team started to break up. I went, Robbie went and I think Matty was the first to go."

Darlington, however, would not even have visited the twin towers had they not been held to a dramatic 3-3 draw in the final game of the season at Scunthorpe.

That result meant they finished fifth, but they would have ended third and won automatic promotion had they won at Glanford Park.

"I think we went 2-0 down didn't we?" said Gregan. "We came back to 2-2, they scored again and then we scored to make it 3-3. It just wasn't to be.

"There's a lot of pressure on you when you have to win a game, a lot more than what people think.

"The good thing about the Trophy final is that it isn't a promotion match that Darlington are involved in. To play 46 matches over the season, two more in the play-off semis, but then lose inside 90 minutes so you have to start all over again is a killer.

"I've had that three times now and it's not nice, but you can win five or six matches and win a cup."

Despite what turned out to be the first of three play-off final defeats, Gregan added: "Darlington were the first club to give me an opportunity in the professional game and playing at Wembley is one of my fondest memories.

"I have good memories of the club, I enjoyed it. They gave me my start, I played under some good managers but it was just a shame that we couldn't get promoted to get up to that next level.

"We were a small club with a small budget and fanbase, but I'm sure Darlington would swap the position they are in now for what we had back then which was being in a play-off final challenging to get into what is now League One."