Striker Jemson was a real jewel as Millers ended long trophy wait

JUST as one South Yorkshire team bedecked in red and white were celebrating at Wembley last week, so another were basking in the glow of glory at the home of football 20 years ago this week.
Rotherham United's Nigel Jemson, right, is congratulate  by team-mate Andy Roscoe after his second and winning goal in the Auto Windscreens Shield final against Shrewsbury Town in 1995 (Picture: Neil Munns/PA)Rotherham United's Nigel Jemson, right, is congratulate  by team-mate Andy Roscoe after his second and winning goal in the Auto Windscreens Shield final against Shrewsbury Town in 1995 (Picture: Neil Munns/PA)
Rotherham United's Nigel Jemson, right, is congratulate by team-mate Andy Roscoe after his second and winning goal in the Auto Windscreens Shield final against Shrewsbury Town in 1995 (Picture: Neil Munns/PA)

The team in question that time around were Barnsley’s Dearne Valley neighbours Rotherham United, whose class of 1995-96 – under the command of the managerial duo John McGovern and Archie Gemmill – etched their names into club folklore with a 2-1 Football League Trophy victory over Shrewsbury Town in front of 35,235 at the home of football.

The date was April 14, 1996 with a 20,000 contingent from Rotherham in ecstasy as the Millers secured their maiden success on their first visit to Wembley, with one player’s name being on their lips – a Prestonian by the name of Nigel Bradley Jemson.

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The policeman’s son laid down the law to the Shrewsbury defence by way of a brace to crown a scintillating loan spell under the Millers’ managerial team, who both knew him well from his days at Nottingham Forest, as the South Yorkshire outfit lifted the Auto Windscreens Shield, one of the many names for the Football League Trophy in its history.

Rotherham United goalkeeper and captain Matthew Clarke celebrates with teammates after winning the Auto Windscreens Shield at Wembley beating Shrewsbury Town 2-1. (Picture: Neil Munns/PA)Rotherham United goalkeeper and captain Matthew Clarke celebrates with teammates after winning the Auto Windscreens Shield at Wembley beating Shrewsbury Town 2-1. (Picture: Neil Munns/PA)
Rotherham United goalkeeper and captain Matthew Clarke celebrates with teammates after winning the Auto Windscreens Shield at Wembley beating Shrewsbury Town 2-1. (Picture: Neil Munns/PA)

Jemson had successful ‘previous’ at Wembley, having scored Forest’s winner in the 1990 Littlewoods Cup final, with the striker famously alerted to the club’s attention by Brian Clough’s greengrocer.

He also well and truly came up with the goods for the Millers during a productive three-month spell on loan from Forest’s neighbours across the Trent, Notts County, whom he had joined in 1994.

Jemson may have been feted at Wembley by the travelling hordes from Rotherham, but they were also acclaiming him a month earlier on March 12, 1996 when he also plundered a double in the snow at Carlisle United as the Millers’ booked a first appearance at Wembley in style.

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Leading 2-0 from the first leg of the northern section final at Millmoor, thanks to goals from Neil ‘Butch’ Richardson and club legend Shaun Goater, Jemson stole the show in wintry conditions in the second instalment in Cumbria with Brunton Park again proving a most memorable venue for the Millers and their fans.

Rotherham United goalkeeper and captain Matthew Clarke celebrates with teammates after winning the Auto Windscreens Shield at Wembley beating Shrewsbury Town 2-1. (Picture: Neil Munns/PA)Rotherham United goalkeeper and captain Matthew Clarke celebrates with teammates after winning the Auto Windscreens Shield at Wembley beating Shrewsbury Town 2-1. (Picture: Neil Munns/PA)
Rotherham United goalkeeper and captain Matthew Clarke celebrates with teammates after winning the Auto Windscreens Shield at Wembley beating Shrewsbury Town 2-1. (Picture: Neil Munns/PA)

It was at the border venue that Rotherham clinched promotion to the second tier on April 18, 1981, thanks to a solitary goal from Rodney Fern, with an oh-so-sweet win remembered with fondness by many seasoned Millers followers and recounted over the decades since.

Jemson’s exploits provided something resembling an encore, but his best was yet to come at Wembley – with the Millers pre-final itinerary involving watching Wales international striker Mark Hughes score a hat-trick for Chelsea against Leeds United the day before at Stamford Bridge, before taking in a film in the evening.

Little of current Stoke City manager Hughes’s famous predatory instincts were on show in the early salvos at Wembley against Shrewsbury, with whom Rotherham had shared the spoils at Millmoor only eight days earlier in a 2-2 draw in front of just 2,973 fans – with Goater and Shaun Goodwin netting for the hosts and Steve Anthrobus and Ian Stevens (penalty) countering.

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Neither the Millers nor the Shrews had been to the rather more fabled footballing venue in north-west London and a tense first 15 minutes ensued, perhaps predictably.

Shrews, in particular, were slow to adapt and made a tentative start, with the Millers’ striking duo of Jemson and Goater gradually helping Rotherham, whose supporters were positioned at the old tunnel end, to settle.

And then, the breakthrough, which arrived on 19 minutes when Bermudian forward Goater bamboozled John Kay on the left of the box, before finding unmarked strike partner Jemson 12 yards out – and he needed no second invitation to finish clinically.

The goal at least cajoled a response from the Shropshire club, with captain and play-maker Mark Taylor almost setting up experienced striker Stevens for a leveller, only for the Millers to survive.

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Jemson then spurned a presentable chance to make it two, when his shot from Goater’s knock-down was a couple of inches wide, but he fared better shortly before the hour mark in the game’s pivotal moment.

A weak header from former Sheffield United junior Dave Walton sold goalkeeper Paul Edwards short, with a foot-race ensuing between the Shrews custodian and Jemson.

The Millers loanee got lucky, managing to stick out a toe and connecting with the ball and a fortunate ricochet allowed him to walk the ball into the net, the cue for an explosion of joy from the hefty Rotherham contingent.

That looked to be that, but the Millers’ celebrations were temporarily halted by the Shrews grasping a lifeline 10 minutes from time, courtesy of captain Taylor.

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But despite a barrage of late pressure, it was Rotherham’s day, with Jemson going agonisingly close to a memorable hat-trick after a lengthy dribble followed by a shot that Edwards saved. But two goals was enough.

Jemson was afforded the lion’s share of the limelight following the game amid joyous scenes and admitted that his experience of Wembley was a key factor on the day.

Jemson said: “It helped. The experienced players like me could show the younger lads around because they had never played there.

“Although I should have scored a hat-trick, but the goalkeeper pulled off a good save late on.”

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Reflecting on his time at Rotherham at a later juncture, Jemson added: “The reason I went to Rotherham was because of the Forest connection.

“Archie Gemmill was manager and John McGovern was his assistant and they had been at Forest. I really enjoyed my time there and it was great for the fans because the club had never won any silverware before.”

Rotherham went on to finish in 16th place in the old second division in that 1995-96 campaign, with the low point coming in a 7-0 drubbing at Wrexham in November, with events at Wembley rather more sweet.

Jemson, just 26 when he inspired the Millers to Wembley glory, joined Oxford United for £60,000 in the summer of 1996 and ironically went on to play for Shrewsbury, along with a host of other clubs including Bury, Ayr United and Halifax. He rolled back the years in January 2003 famously to knock out Everton in the FA Cup third round during his time at Shrewsbury.