Andy Milner played 125 matches for Chester City but he remains universally adored by Blues supporters for one game and one very special goal in particular.
Chester were down and out in the closing minutes of their derby with red-hot rivals Wrexham at the Racecourse on February 14, 1995. Trailing 2-1 and playing with only nine men, Derek Mann’s rock-bottom Division Two strugglers were hurtling headlong towards yet another dismal, largely self-inflicted, defeat.
Their saviour turned out to be Milner, a 28-year-old striker from Kendal who suddenly decided he needed to give his overworked defenders a bit of “breathing space”.
What came next is the stuff of legend for Blues fans.
Making light of the glue-pot pitch, the former Manchester City and Rochdale forward picked up a square pass from Iain Jenkins inside his own half and instantly headed for goal. Barging his way past two challenges, he raced into the penalty area and cut inside full-back Barry Jones before curling a precise right-footed shot beyond keeper Andy Marriot and into the back of Wrexham’s net at the Kop end.
WATCH: Andy Milner's dramatic derby leveller
The home fans were stunned, while the 1,000 City supporters at the opposite end of the stadium went into derby delirium.
In a 2010 interview with The Chronicle marking the 15th anniversary of the match, Milner said he still had vivid memories of his 84th-minuite wonder strike.
“I set off and there was no-one around so I thought I’d have a nice little run with the ball because it just might give the defence some breathing space,” he said. “I just kept on going and it opened up.
“I didn’t fancy taking it on with my left so I made a little step back and got it on my favoured right. Anyone who watched Chester regularly knew that my left foot wasn’t the best!”
Milner remembers the game “had everything” – two sendings off, a couple of penalties and, of course, a late goal.
“The bus journey back was lively,” he recalled. “We just knew what it meant to everyone. It was nice. Even though we were having a terrible season and it was obvious we were going to go down, it was a little bit of local pride. It was something for the fans, to be honest.”
Milner finds it strange that he still receives so much adulation from Chester fans for a goal which was an equaliser, rather than an outright winner, in a season which ultimately ended in relegation.
But, 20 years on, there is no escaping ‘St Milner’s Day’.
“It’s a little bit odd because I didn’t score both goals in the game, we didn’t even win the game," said Milner. "There were lots of other lads on the pitch. It’s just good to look back and it gives you a nice feeling."
