SEVENTEEN years have elapsed since Wembley wonder enveloped York City, but the sentinel of strength who led the red, blue and white ranks to that May-day in the sun still glows at the recall.

The stadium might well have undergone a stunning transformation from twin towers to sky-cleaving arch.

Neither will the day of destiny be the same. Rather than a Saturday, City’s second attempt at teasing out the prize of promotion at the game’s mythical home, will be on a Sabbath.

But the opportunity to generate club history like the City school of 1993 should be seized with all available might as it will then live on in each player’s memory bank.

Paul Stancliffe, who captained the City ranks with dreadnought distinction, unashamedly revels still in the glorious outcome of the drama-dripping denouement of almost two decades ago.

Against a Crewe side that contained current Celtic caretaker-manager Neil Lennon, a high-energy York brigade prevailed for a triumph hewn out of adversity.

After a mystifyingly scoreless opening 90 minutes, City overcame the muscle-stretching, morale-snapping loss of a lead in the embers of extra time and also the pulse-shredding ache of a penalty shoot-out to clinch promotion from the basement to what was then Division Two.

“Getting promotion was so special,” said Stancliffe, who, when he hung up his boots as a player at Bootham Crescent, took up assistant manager and youth team coach duties with almost equal distinction until he left the club to take up the head of youth role at Doncaster Rovers five years ago.

“Even though I have left City, because of that memorable Wembley game, I have that great connection with the club. I have been thinking more about it this week with City getting nearer to Wembley and 1993 was just such a special day.

“You enjoy the memory twice as much. It will always be there.”

The key to a second triumph in five days’ time will hinge on the attitude and approach of the entire City team, he said.

“Back in ’93 we knew we had a good team and we even had the feeling we should have gained promotion automatically.

“I thought the team that John Ward started and that Alan Little finished was good enough to have got promotion without resorting to the play-offs.

“We took that belief with us into the play-off final.”

The iron-hard and cultured central defender, who saw illustrious service with Rotherham, Sheffield United in the top-flight, and Wolves before linking up with City in 1991, said that same conviction could be carried into Sunday’s showdown against Oxford United.

“City have been up near the top all season. That shows they have nothing to fear, especially after the two play-off semi-final results against Luton Town. They were two great wins and the management team and the players should take heart from those victories,” said Stancliffe.

In his Minstermen hey-day Stancliffe was an integral part of a spine that spanned talent and experience.

Modestly playing down his own part, which all City fans acknowledged as being pivotal to Wembley success, Stancliffe said: “We had the likes of Deano (Dean Kiely) in goal, Pep (Nigel Pepper) and Swanny (Gary Swann) in midfield and then we had the goals of Barney (Paul Barnes) up front and the flair of Jon McCarthy out wide.

“They were players the team could always look to to pull something special out of the bag.”

Aware of the experience of current ’keeper Michael Ingham and centre-back David McGurk, Stancliffe was hoping they would help to ensure the occasion did not get to the younger components of the present Minstermen.

“You hope those less experienced players will not freeze, but at least most have played at Wembley last year, so that should help.”

What Stancliffe was certain about was the immense nature of what was at stake.

Some estimates elevate Sunday’s game to be worth anything between £500,000 and £750,000 to the eventual winners.

Said Stancliffe: “The play-off final might be at Wembley as was City’s FA Trophy final against Stevenage last year, but this Sunday’s game is completely different.

“It’s a lot bigger. There’s far more riding on it. Winning means getting back in the Football League. That’s where everybody wants to be. Everybody wants that, especially when a club like City were in the League for so long.”

Financially, Stancliffe described Sunday’s spat as “huge” as the revenues generated by a return to the Football League filtered right through even to renewed funding for the youth set-up.

But the incentive was much more than cold cash, added the former City captain.

“It’s about getting back status as a Football League team. City would rather be a Football League team than a Conference club, and the city of York needs to be back in the League.

“That’s what everybody wants so much.”

Stancliffe is now hoping that Sunday, May 16, 2010 will resonate through City’s history as loud and proud as Saturday, May 29, 1993.