CHESTERFIELD 1996-97 FA CUP SEMI-FINALISTS
IT was one of the most controversial moments in FA Cup history when Chesterfield were crucially denied a place in the final.
They were leading Middlesbrough 2-1 thanks to goals from Andy Morris and Sean Dyche with 21 minutes to go when Jon Howard’s shot crashed down off the cross bar and clearly crossed the line.
But referee David Elleray failed to give the goal and within 60 seconds Craig Hignett equalised from the penalty spot.
More drama followed as Boro took the lead in extra time through Gianluca Festa then, with just 65 seconds left, Jamie Hewitt kept the dream alive with a looping header.
Hewitt, who played in the replay that Boro won 3-0, says he was convinced Howard’s goal was going to be awarded and says it hurts more as time goes by.
“My initial reaction was the ball had gone over the line, I looked over towards the linesman and I am sure he had given the goal,” said Hewitt.
“He ran up to the half-way line but for some reason didn’t attract Mr Elleray’s attention. It hurts more now than it did then.
“Nobody gave us a chance and we didn’t give ourselves a chance. We just didn’t want to get beaten easily.
“The hardest thing was that we had given away a 2-0 lead. At the time we were tight at the back and didn’t give a lot of goals away. Then went we went 3-2 down we thought that was our last shot.
“So for me to score with a minute to go was amzing. It was a dream cross and I could see the ball all of the way.
“I threw myself at it and luckily enough it hit me in the middle of the head and looped over the keeper.”
BACK ROW FROM LEFT TO RIGHT
1. Mark Jules: Was head of Chesterfield’s academy coaching until June and now runs Synergy Sports Academy with former team mate Andy Morris.
2. Marcus Ebdon: Player-manager at Alfreton, youth development officer at Tamworth, now head youth coach at Mouton College in Northampton and assistant manager at Spalding.
3. Gary Lund: For the last 19 years he has been managing director of Royston & Lund estate agents in Nottingham.
4. Lee Rogers: He was a meter reader for the Yorkshire Electricity Board but joined the police and is as a community supervisor in South Yorkshire.
5. Sean Dyche: After becoming Watford‘s youth team coach, he became assistant manager and manager. He has been in charge of Burnley since October 2012.
6. Darren Carr: He returned and settled in his native Bristol and works as a plasterer.
7. Neil Allison: Emigrated to Australia in 2010. At the time he managed North Ferriby and was sales rep for handcare product specialists Swarfega.
8. Steve Gaughan: Is now back in his native North East and was assistant manager at Northern Counties East League Armthorpe Welfare until 2012.
9. Iain Dunn: He works for York City Council and his job title is Smarter York officer. He also coaches Huntington Rovers.
MIDDLE ROW FROM LEFT TO RIGHT
10. Mark Williams: Now a players’ agent after living in Marbella, Spain running a company which offers golf holidays. He is married to glamour model Linsey Dawn McKenzie.
11. Jamie Lomas: He is based in the Peak District and after leaving the game was employed at a woodcutters yard in Tideswell.
12. Andy Mitchell: Believed to be living and working in his native South Yorkshire.
13. Kevin Davies: The England international is 36 and playing for Preston North End.
14. Billy Mercer: Has been goalkeeper coach at Bristol City and Sheffield Wednesday and has been working at Burnley since 2010.
15. Andy Leaning: Has been a goalkeeping coach at Chesterfield, Scarborough, Barnsley, Sheffield United, York and now Leeds.
16. Jason Bowater: He has been in the army for 14 years, nine with the Parachute Regiment then the Royal Army Physical Training Corps and is now staff sergeant with 23 Engineer Regiment.
17. Andy Mason: Working as a firefighter and is the brother of Premier League referee Lee.
18. Chris Beaumount: Ran a post office in Sheffield before going into teaching and is the head of year at Newfield Secondary School.
19. Andy Morris: Spent 13 years running Chesterfield’s Community Trust but left in the summer along with Mark Jules.
FRONT ROW FROM LEFT TO RIGHT
20. Tony Lormor: Formally Mansfield’s commericial manager, then a director of marketing, a personal banker for Barclays and group sales executive in Derby. He’s now Chesterfield’s kit manager.
21. Tom Curtis: He went into coaching and has worked at Derby, Nottingham Forest, Loughborough University, in Antigua and is now Bristol Rovers‘ academy manager.
22. Chris Perkins: Has been working as a sports marketing manager for Adidas UK since October 2008.
23. Adie Shaw: Coached at York, was the national coach for St Vincent & the Grenadines, a reserve coach, then assistant manager, at MK Dons and now a Football League youth development officer.
24. Kevin Randall: Managed York and Chesterfield and has been chief scout under Neil Warnock at Sheffield United, Crystal Palace, QPR and Leeds. Now scouting for Burnley.
25. John Duncan (manager): Works for the League Managers’ Association. Has managed Loughborough University and been a pundit for Eurosport.
26. Dave Rushbury: After managing Chesterfield, he became director of football at Alfreton, and is now teaching sports science at Chesterfield College.
27. Jon Howard: He has been in business development and account management for Scout7 for the last five years.
28. Paul Holland: He served Mansfield as youth coach, assistant manager and manager and is now working for SR Education.
29. Jamie Hewitt: Became club physio when he retired from playing in 2002. His son Alex is a trainee at Chesterfield.
