Nicky Weaver reflects on 1999 Wembley memories and Man City's meteoric rise

It is coming up to 20 years since Nicky Weaver wrote his name into Manchester City folklore.

His penalty shoot-out heroics and THAT celebration in 1999 have made him a legend to supporters who can remember the days before Pep Guardiola and domestic domination.

That second division playoff final victory – won so dramatically after City trailed Gillingham 2-0 going into the 90^th-minute at Wembley – remains a pivotal moment in the club’s history, even after the trophy-laden years that have followed their Abu Dhabi takeover.

Weaver, who saved two spot kicks, has earned iconic status alongside the likes of Sergio Aguero, Yaya Toure and David Silva – as has Paul Dickov, who struck the 95^th-minute equaliser.

But the former goalkeeper readily admits City’s current No1, Ederson, has the potential to be an all-time great of the game – and has already surpassed Germany legend Manuel Neuer after just two years at the Etihad.

“He's brilliant,” says Weaver. “Obviously they spent a lot of money on (Claudio) Bravo before that and it didn't quite work - and I always thought it was hard when Joe Hart was pushed aside. But I think we can see now – and this is no slight on Joe at all, he was fantastic for this club and still a brilliant goalkeeper – the way Ederson plays, he has taken goalkeeping to another level.

“We have only really seen Manuel Neuer keep goal like this, but in my opinion he's not as good as Ederson. I’m sure he could play left back or central midfield - he's that good.

“And when it counts he makes a big saves as well. He doesn't make many saves, but he has had games where he has had to make some big saves.

“With the ball at his feet – it's not just his passing, it's his long diagonal stuff. He's got the lot.

“I'm sure at some point he’ll have a sticky patch, like everybody does, but what I've seen of him in the last couple of years is nothing short of phenomenal.”

Ederson was part of Guardiola’s £500million spend, which has helped to make City the dominant force in English football – winning five of the last six domestic trophies on offer, including back-to-back Premier League titles.

It is a team built to win – and one with expectations of European rule, too.

But life was very different when Weaver was making his name at the club’s former ground, Maine Road.

Back then, Joe Royle was fighting to get them out of the third tier of English football, at a time when Manchester United were on course for the Treble.

Weaver remembers: “It was obviously the lowest level they had played at, but for me, personally, I was delighted to be in the team.

“It was my first season playing, so for me it was just a thrill to be involved in it all. The fans probably didn't think so, going to places like York and Colchester and Lincoln and Macclesfield and places like that. But personally I felt like I grew as the season went on.

“I got used to playing every week and for me playing at Maine Road on a huge stage, but yet in the third tier, was invaluable experience.

“It was everybody's cup final when City were in town and we found it difficult in the early part of the season.

“Joe Royle doesn't get enough credit for what he actually achieved here because it was a club that was on a downward spiral. Joe came in, he was the one that took us down the year before, but that gave him a chance to clear the decks and freshen up with some young faces. Fortunately I was one of them.”

It was just four days after United’s incredible comeback against Bayern Munich in the Champions League final that City found themselves trailing to goals from Carl Asaba and Robert Taylor in the playoff final.

Asaba’s came after 81 minutes, and Taylor’s, 87.

“Even at 1-0 down I was thinking, 'What a chance and we've thrown it away,’” says Weaver. “When the second one went in I just thought we'd thrown it away, 'Typical City – over the years they've got so close and then thrown it away.’”

When Kevin Horlock pulled one back, even Weaver admits he thought it was a “consolation” – but that was before five minutes’ injury time was added on.

“That was a little bit dubious at the time!” he says. “Mark Halsey is a very popular man in these parts! I've got images of Tony Pulis going mad on the bench.

“It was only a couple of nights before that Man United came from behind to beat Bayern Munich in the Champions League final. It only takes a second to score a goal.

“At 2-0 up, after they scored their second goal, I think they took Bob Taylor and Carl Asaba off, so they didn't have a forward on the pitch.

“We just wanted one more chance and luckily we got it. It was only really a half-chance but Dickie put it in the top corner and he will be remembered forever for that one goal.”

Dickov went on to miss his penalty in the shoot-out – and it is Weaver, with his tongue hanging out and arms outstretched that remains the enduring image of that unforgettable day.

“I've no idea where it came from,” he says two decades on. “It happened, and that happened so early in my career that people always remember me for that. They did throughout my career.

“I waved the lads over and sort of pulled a face – I don't know where that came from. I've never seen it before or after.

“As they were coming over this adrenaline was running through me and I didn't want it to end. As the lads got closer I hopped over the advertising boards, round the gravel track, as you could at Wembley then, back over the other side and onto the pitch.

“I didn't know what I was doing to be honest. It was only big Andy Morrison who eventually stopped me. I'm not going to tell you what I said to big Andy under that pile-on, but the last thing I wanted was 20 grown men piling on top of me, but that's what happened.

“I suppose I'm glad I did it because people still talk about it now. I was only young at the time.”

It speaks volumes about the strides City have made over the last 10 years since their Abu Dhabi takeover that Weaver can look at this season’s treble-winning campaign with sense of ‘what if.’

“They're at Wembley every other week now,” he adds. “The level of football they are playing and the trophies they are competing in – every game you see City, you're expecting them to win, and if they don't it is a bit of a surprise.

“But still there's going to be a little bit of disappointment there because of what happened in the Champions League.

“Until we win the Champions League, which I'm sure they will, there'll always be one piece of a jigsaw slightly missing.”