Peterborough United star Tony Adcock on a special day in 1992

‘The Blues’ are long odds-on favourites. They’ve won on their last three trips to Wembley, most recently the 2011 League Cup Final against Arsenal. Both clubs are also chasing a third EFL Trophy win which would match the record of Bristol City, the only club so far to have won the competition three times.

Posh will of course be defending a 100% winning record at the national stadium so cheer yourselves up by remembering four memorable days in the run-up to the big day, starting with a Third Division play-off final in May, 1992.

Sunday, May 24, 1992

Posh 2, Stockport 1

Attendance: 35,087.

A new king was crowned at London Road after Ken Charlery scored twice to secure back-to-back promotions for Posh and a first tilt at second tier football in the club’s history.

It was a dire Division Three play-off final in baking heat and it wasn’t without controversy as Charlery’s first goal, a 52nd minute header from a Bobby Barnes corner, didn’t cross the line off the underside of the bar, according to the Stockport defenders, which included future Posh boss Jim Gannon, at least.

Posh were comfortable until an error by goalkeeper Fred Barber enabled Kevin Francis to nod home an 87th-minute equaliser. Substitute Lee Howarth then made a dramatic goal-line clearance to keep Posh level before Charlery accepted a superb long pass from Marcus Ebdon to lob tiny County ‘keeper Neil Edwards for an 89th-minute winner.

Charlery was re-christened ‘King Ken’ and inspirational manager Chris Turner was ultimately rewarded with a statue outside the Weston Homes Stadium.

Posh star Tony Adcock, speaking at a players’ reunion, recalled: “We were all trying to treat the play-off final as just another game, but walking onto the pitch before kick off was a real ‘wow’ moment. I hadn’t experienced anything like it. I wouldn’t say we were nervous, but we realised how big this game was as so many Peterborough fans had travelled.

“We were the better side in the first-half and deservedly took the lead early in the second-half. I was right by the goalline when Ken Charlery’s header bounced down and I swear I still have no idea whether or not the ball crossed the line!

“In fact I tried to head it over the line and a defender just appeared and booted it clear. He very nearly took my head off, but luckily for us the linesman had ruled in our favour and given a goal.

“Stockport improved after that, but even when they equalised so late in the game we didn’t panic and didn’t settle for extra time. Mick Halsall and Marcus Ebdon just geed us up some more. Actually them scoring helped us as they pushed forward and Ken was able to exploit a gap and score a brilliant winning goal.

“We came back to Peterborough pretty much straight after the presentations. Some of the lads went into the town centre to soak up the atmosphere, but I was one of those who found it hard to appreciate what we had achieved.

“It wasn’t until the next morning it sank in for me. It was my first promotion and for it to happen at Wembley was unbelievable. Much better players than me had never managed that. We had the open-top bus parade the next day and as many people who went to the game seemed to turn up for that as well.

“These were special moments and I still cherish them now.”

NOTE: Posh went up two Divisions with this win as ‘The Premiership’ was introduced in the 1992-93 season so Division Two became Division One!

Posh: Barber, Luke, R. Robinson, D. Robinson, Welsh (sub Howarth), Sterling, Halsall, Ebdon, Barnes; Adock, Charlery.