Phil SumblerI will never forget the moment that Darren Pratley secured our place at Wembley. It was ten years ago tonight at the end of a tension filled evening at the Liberty but even now I am not sure I ever saw the ball hit the back of the net, it was just one of those things that you knew was going to happen.
Let’s be honest here, our hearts were in our mouths. We had earned ourselves a two goal advantage in the first half but seen that halved and Forest had a corner deep into the closing stages of the game. Was this is the horrendous moment that we were about to be made to face up to thirty more minutes of action?
The ball was half punched clear by Doris and the trigger was about to be pulled by the Forest player who was about to see it drop invitingly. At the key moment, he slipped and Pratley came away with the ball. Instead of doing what many would do and heading for the corner, Pratley took aim and from the halfway line of the Liberty he curled the ball into the back of the net and Swansea City were heading to Wembley.
Cue complete pandemonium inside the Liberty. This comes back to where I never saw the ball hit the back of the net. I am fairly certain that by the time the ball hit the net I was so far out of my seat that I was just outside of Neath. It was a moment that I will never forget and a moment that I hope we can repeat next Saturday.
We may not have a capacity Liberty crowd to look forward to and we may never recreate the atmosphere inside the ground at that exact moment in time but memories are there to be made and whilst ten years have passed that moment is never forgotten.
The Liberty shook with the loudest sound I think it has ever heard and that includes the multiple concerts that have taken place there and the Premier League was one game away from welcoming its first ever Welsh team.
These were special moments from a special team. A team that had the foundations of Roberto, the defensive strength of Paulo Sousa and the icing on the cake from Brendan Rodgers who yesterday lifted Leicester City’s first ever FA Cup win.
It was watching the highlights back later that I realised Brendan had sprinted the touchline at the Liberty and at the time I had no idea as to the celebrations on the pitch it was a time being too busy enjoying the moment with celebrations of my own as I suspect many of the Swans fans there that day were doing as well.
These are moments that the play offs create. For every John Frain or missed Bayo penalty there is a Darren Pratley, Scott Sinclair or Stephen Dobbie to remind you what elation can really feel like. I have always maintained that there is no better way to get promoted than to win a play off final but it is the worst feeling you can get to lose one especially in the two cruel ways we have been beaten in previous play off finals.
Steve Cooper and his side have a chance over the next two weeks to create more history for the Swans and is there a Darren Pratley moment to come in the two legs against Barnsley.
Only time will tell but let’s create some fresh memories. Happy ones too please.
