Bygones: How Rotherham United would love a repeat of Wembley 1996

April 14, 1996 when around 20,000 Millers fans watched their heroes secure their maiden success at Wembley in a 2-1 Football League Trophy triumph over Shrewsbury Town – a repeat scoreline in Sunday’s League One play-off final would not go amiss.

The Millers, under managerial duo John McGovern and Archie Gemmill, prevailed in front of 35,235 at the home of football thanks to a double from Nigel Jemson, with the policeman’s son crowning a scintillating loan spell with a brace to help United lift the then Autowindscreens Shield.

Both the Millers and the Shrews had never been to the fabled venue in north-west London and a tense first 15 minutes ensued, perhaps predictably.

Millers’ strike duo Jemson and Shaun Goater gradually helped Rotherham, whose supporters were positioned at the old tunnel end, to settle.

Then, the breakthrough arrived on 19 minutes when Bermuda forward Goater bamboozled John Kay before finding unmarked partner Jemson 12 yards out – and he needed no second invitation to finish clinically.

The goal at least cajoled a response from the Shrews, with captain and play-maker Mark Taylor almost setting up experienced striker Stevens for a leveller.

Jemson then spurned a presentable chance 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 and a foot-race ensued with Jemson.

The Millers loanee got lucky, managing to stick out a toe and connect with the ball before a fortunate riccochet allowed him to walk the ball into the net. It was the cue for an explosion of joy from the 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 Taylor.

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 which Edwards saved.

Jemson was afforded the lion’s share of the limelight amid joyous scenes and admitted that his experience of Wembley with Nottingham Forest in 1990 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. I should still have scored a hat-trick, but the goalkeeper pulled off a good save.”

Jemson later revealed: “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.”

Jemson, 26 when he inspired the Millers to Wembley glory, joined Oxford United for £60,000 in the summer of 1996.