Colchester United won promotion on this day in 1998

The U's beat Torquay United 1-0 in the Division Three play-off final, at Wembley.

David Gregory, who is now Head of Media at Colchester, scored Colchester's winner from the penalty spot to secure Steve Wignall's side a memorable victory and a place in the third tier.

It proved a tight game with Colchester making the all-important breakthrough in the 22nd minute through Gregory's spot-kick, awarded following Jon Gittens' handball in the area.

One goal proved enough for the U's, who went onto clinch victory and return to the third tier after 17 years away.

The Colchester starting line-up that day was: Emberson, Dunne, Betts, Skelton, Greene, D Gregory, Wilkins, Buckle, Sale, N Gregory, Forbes. Subs: Lock, Duguid, Abrahams.

Speaking to the Gazette last year about the 1998 triumph, Gregory said: "It was a big moment in the club's history; that's the case any time that you get a promotion.

"It was very difficult in those first few years after we'd gone up and were always near the bottom but we always survived.

"We could have come straight back down but we didn't and we prepared really hard for that next season.

"We certainly didn't want to go up to a higher division and be embarrassed.

"The club were very good with the players who got them up.

"I think I played my best football between the ages of 27 and 30 - they were good times.

"I'm not always a great one for keeping in constant contact with the players I've played with.

"But whenever you meet up with those players from that period, there's always a real connection.

"At the final whistle, it was a feeling of 'we've done it', the culmination of all 46 games, plus the play-off semi-finals and final.

"It was an amazing feeling and with my brother (Neil Gregory) being there, he was the first person to get to me and start all the celebrations.

"We got the trophy and did all of the pitch stuff and then I was pulled up to do the press stuff, with Steve (Wignall), so I missed out on the dressing room.

"Looking back, that was disappointing but not that disappointing in the grand scheme of things, because I was there to play football."

The Wembley win proved pivotal for Colchester's progress, as a club.

They held their own in the third tier until 2006, when Phil Parkinson led them to promotion to the Championship for the first time in their history.

It might be argued that the U's Wembley triumph back in 1998 paved the way for the success that was to follow, a few years later.

Colchester had booked their Wembley date against Torquay after beating Barnet over two legs, in the play-off semi-final.

The final was moved to the Friday night, due to Glenn Hoddle's England side playing Saudi Arabia in a pre-World Cup friendly on the Saturday.

It meant that the final only attracted a crowd of 19,486, an attendance that would no doubt have been considerably more had it been played the following day.