Hednesford FA Cup team reunited

Hednesford's greatest-ever FA Cup team will be reunited at Keys Park later this month to mark the 15th anniversary of their run to the fourth round.

The Pitmen squad and management from 1996-97 will take centre stage at the event on Saturday February 18, starting at 7.30pm.

It took then-Premier League side Middlesbrough, who reached the final and were relegated in the same season, to see off Hednesford that year.

John Baldwin's men saw off Blackpool and York to land what was orginially a home tie against Boro, before it was switched on police advice.

Over 6,000 Pitmen supporters made the trip to the Riverside Stadium, the season after it was open, to see their team lose 3-2 on 25 January 1997.

But non-league Hednesford, of the Vauxhall Conference, put up a fight against Bryan Robson's side, even taking the lead through Joe O'Connor.

Colin Lambert's own goal equalised before strikes from Jan-Aage Fjortoft and Fabrizio Ravanelli, with O'Connor's getting another in the last minute.

Boss Baldwin, his assistant John Allen, O'Connor and Lambert are all expected to attend the event, along with several others from that day.

They includes Scott Cooksey, Bernard McNally, Mick Smith, Don Drakeley, Paul Carty, Kevin Collins, Steve Essex, Andy Comyn, Stuart Lake, Gary Fitzpatrick and Steve Devine.

Tickets for the event, organised by the Hednesford Town Supporters Association, are £12 for members and £14 for non-members, which includes a hot pork buffet.

They can be purchased from the Strikers Bar at Keys Park before the home games against North Ferriby United and, on the day, against Marine, or by calling 07919 912 811.