Big display from Little, a Peterborough 'King' was crowned and the final some fans 'tend to forget'

March 30, ​2014

Posh 3 Chesterfield 1.

JPT fInal

Mark Little has urged the current crop of Posh players to enjoy their day at Wembley.

But he insists most enjoyment will come from beating Wycombe Wanderers on the hallowed turn of the national stadium.

The dashing right-back played a decisive part when Posh saw off Chesterfield in the club’s only previous appearance in a Trophy Final 10 years ago.

And Little loved it so much he was back at Wembley the following year to win the competition again with Bristol City when he delivered a goal and a man-of-the-match display in a 2-0 win at Walsall.

"The process I went through with Peterborough at Wembley helped the following season when I was playing for Bristol,” Little said. “I had no nerves the second time around and felt no tension which helped me perform so well.

"But the year before, after the euphoria of reaching Wembley kicked it, there were plenty of nerves beforehand, and during the game to be honest.

"We were thrilled to reach Wembley, but then you realise you don’t want to go there and lose, and we were playing a team from the division below.

"But Chesterfield were flying high and they had a winning habit which makes any team from any level dangerous. They played well and we didn’t play particularly well even though we went 2-0 up early in the game.

"It should have been comfortable after that start, but it was a cup final so it wasn’t comfortable at all.

"My stomach turned when they pulled a goal back and then it turned again when Joe Newell (pictured right) was sent off, but luckily I went on a mazy run, got fouled in the penalty area and Britt Assombalonga stuck the penalty away.

"I did love a run forward, but they didn’t always pay off so it was great to make one work in such a big game.

"What a player Britt was by the way. We had some great players come through the door while I was there. We had some bad ones as well, but from the time he turned up as a young player there were never any concerns about Britt.

"It was no surprise when he went to bigger and better things.

"Playing in a final at Wembley was a memorable occasion made all the better by the result. It’s important the Posh players enjoy the day and play well because you never know 10 years later, you might be asked to remember it all!”

Josh McQuoid and Shaun Brisley scored the early Posh goals.

Wembley line-up: Olejnik, Little, Knight-Percival, Brisley (sub Alcock), Bostwick, McCann (sub Payne), Newell, Swanson, Rowe, McQuoid (sub Isgrove), Assombalonga.

​May 24, 1992

Posh 2, Stockport 1

Div 3 play-off final

Ken Charlery was christened ‘King Ken’ by the Peterborough Evening Telegraph after his two-goal salvo delivered Division One football to Posh for the first time in the club’s history.

Charlery opened the scoring with a header from a Bobby Barnes corner that might not have crossed the goalline, but there was no doubting the veracity of his winning goal, three minutes from time, as he lobbed the Stockport ‘keeper after latching on to a superb pass from Marcus Ebdon (pictured above).

Charlery is now managing London Colney in Combined Counties League football as well as acting as the club’s director of football. The 59 year-old is also a shareholder in a club struggling for form and success.

Recalling Wembley heroics was a welcome distraction.

Charlery said: “It’s hard to believe it was 32 years ago, but what a day!

“The support from the Posh fans was unbelievable and for me to score twice was unreal. It was a poor old game on a baking hot day, but the win capped off an unforgettable season.

"I’m sure my header went over the line and my second goal was in from the moment I shot.

"The last three minutes dragged on for ever before we could celebrate, and that team knew how to do that!

"My goals got a lot of attention, but no-one should forget the brilliant goalline clearance Lee Howarth pulled off at 1-1.”

In three spells at Posh between 1991 and 1997 Charlery racked up 224 appearances and scored 80 goals.

Wembley line-up: Barber, Luke, R. Robinson, D. Robinson, Welsh (sub Howarth), Ebdon, Halsall, Sterling, Barnes, Adcock, Charlery.

May 26

Posh 1, Darlington 0

League Two play-off final

Posh manager Barry Fry always refers to this match as the ‘forgotten final’ and to this day he doesn’t believe he or his team got the praise they deserved at the end of a typically tumultuous season at London Road.

Popular coach Paul Ashworth was sacked a day after Posh had lost by a club record 5-0 margin at home to Rotherham United on Boxing Day and star men Simon Davies and Matthew Etherington had been sold to Spurs.

And yet, five months later, promotion thanks to a second-half Andy Clarke strike had returned Posh to League One four seasons after a relegation.

“I don’t know how we won because we didn’t deserve it,” Fry said in a past interview with the PT. “But Mark Tyler was brilliant in goal and Andy Clarke popped up with a winner.

"It was one hell of an achievement, but it irritates me that it’s the final Posh fans rarely talk about.

"But I was never going to get any praise from the noisiest supporters, or from the press, as they had both turned against me.”

Goalkeeper Tyler was outstanding in the first-half in horrible wet conditions against a fancied Darlington side.

Tyler recalled: “Anything could happen to a goalkeeper in those conditions so I didn’t relax at all.

"Credit to the back four though and to Gareth Jelleyman who filled in for Adam Drury at left-back after Adam was injured and played a blinder.”

Wembley line-up: Tyler, Scott, Drury (sub Hanlon), Rea, Edwards, Cullen, Castle, Jelleyman, Farrell, Clarke (sub Green), Oldfield.

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