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Playoff heroes: Steve Claridge

Playoff heroes: Steve Claridge
© Reuters
The forward scored a dramatic extra-time goal to return Leicester to the Premier League.

Steve Claridge made sure of an immediate return to the Premier League for Leicester in the most dramatic fashion 24 years ago.

The words 'widely travelled' perhaps do not do Claridge justice. He had 16 league teams and played in England's top four divisions, as well as having spells with six non-league clubs.

He is often remembered for the goal which settled the 1996 play-off final against Crystal Palace, one of those former teams, at Wembley.

With just seconds remaining in extra-time and a penalty shoot-out looking likely, Garry Parker took a free-kick inside his own half.

leicester celeb 3
Steve Claridge, right. celebrates the play-off win over Crystal Palace at Wembley in 1996 with team-mate Garry Parker (PA)

The ball dropped just outside the penalty area for Claridge to run on to and beat Nigel Martyn with a right-footed shot, sparking joyous scenes and taking Martin O'Neill's men back to the top flight.

Interviewed on the pitch afterwards Claridge a £1.2million signing from Birmingham earlier that year, revealed: "I shinned it in" but later told the Leicester Mercury: "That was a stupid thing to say. I hit it properly and sweet."

Claridge's place in Foxes folklore was assured the following year when he scored the winning goal – again in extra-time – in the League Cup final replay against Middlesbrough at the same venue.

Now 54, he went on to play in the Football League as a 40-year-old for Bournemouth and even featured as a substitute in the Southern League at the age of 51, as well as appearing on TV and radio as a pundit.

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Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
CLiverpool38323385335299
2Manchester CityMan City382639102356781
3Manchester UnitedMan Utd381812866363066
4Chelsea382061269541566
5Leicester CityLeicester381881267412662
6Tottenham HotspurSpurs3816111161471459
7Wolverhampton WanderersWolves381514951401159
8Arsenal381414105648856
9Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd381412123939054
10Burnley38159144350-754
11Southampton38157165160-952
12Everton381310154456-1249
13Newcastle UnitedNewcastle381111163858-2044
14Crystal Palace381110173150-1943
15Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton38914153954-1541
16West Ham UnitedWest Ham38109194962-1339
17Aston Villa3898214167-2635
RBournemouth3897224065-2534
RWatford38810203664-2834
RNorwich CityNorwich3856272675-4921

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