April 2nd 2000 - FA Cup semi-final Wembley Aston Villa 0 Bolton 0 Villa won 4-1 on penalties
Apr 9 2010 by Andy Walker, Birmingham Mail
IF VILLA fans have pushed the run to the 2000 FA Cup final to the back of their minds, then the last-four showdown with Bolton Wanderers is likely to have been completely erased from the memory banks.
The prize was mouth-watering for the side from Birmingham, a first FA Cup final in 43 years and the chance to be a part of the last-ever showpiece to be played in front of Wembley’s famous Twin Towers.
And all that stood in the way of John Gregory’s men was a side from the second tier of English football.
Bolton Wanderers had enjoyed two season-long flirts with the Premier League promised land, but the Trotters were still a year away from establishing themselves in the top flight.
It should have been straightforward for a Villa side that had finished sixth in the Premier League, but what followed at the old Wembley was a gruelling, goal-less 120 minutes and a penalty shoot-out that woke up those who had slipped into a deep slumber.
For Villa, the 120 minutes were a period to forget.
They had lost Holte End favourite Ian Taylor to injury after just 15 minutes, witnessed a petulant strop from Benito Carbone when the Italian was substituted in the 70th minute and seen Mark Delaney sent off in extra-time for two bookable offences in the space of three minutes.
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