1997 (Failed)

John Beck and Team Lincoln, the phrase he coined to help galvanised a City, were one game away from the play-offs in his first full season. After beating Man City in the Coca-Cola Cup and taking Southampton to a replay at the Bank, our league form faltered, and the top seven looked like a pipe dream. Then, from nowhere, four wins and a draw, 14 goals, and a final chance at the top seven. We had 66 points, Northampton and Cardiff had 69, but we’d scored more goals.

Northampton beat Scunthorpe, so they were happy, but Cardiff trailed Darlington 1-0 for much of their game. They equalised on 77 minutes, then conceded on 78; anyone with a radio might have missed it. Why? Because in our drive to get a goal, we got caught out at the same time; Keith Hill scored for Dale on 77 minutes. Mark Stuart made it 2-0 moments later, and we all went home disappointed.

1998 (Succeeded)

1998 is unique in that we were fighting for a play-off spot on the final day, but we were fighting to avoid it rather than get into it. We’d assured ourselves of a top-seven finish with a draw at Darlington the week before, former QPR man Dennis Bailey with a last-gasp goal (later attributed to Terry Fleming). That meant we could make it into the top three if we beat Brighton on the final day and if Orient could beat Torquay United. The Echo headline writers rehashed the wording from a year before, and we had Destiny Day 2: Even More Destiny. Or something.

After six minutes, Dean Smith put Orient 1-0 up from the penalty spot. On 24 minutes, Craig Maskell made it 2-0 to the Orient, and the whole of Sincil Bank knew as the song rang out around the ground. It was now on us. Half time came and went, and we still awaited the City goals.

Terry Fleming, 55 minutes. Lee Thorpe, 58 minutes. The touchpaper was lit, and City were going up. A late goal at Orient for Torquay and a late Brighton goal at the Bank did nothing to dampen the sense of wonder. City had avoided the play-offs for a fourth time on the final day of the season, but this time, nobody went home disappointed.