Colchester United won promotion via the play-offs at Wembley in 1998

David Gregory’s 22nd-minute penalty gave Steve Wignall’s side a 1-0 triumph over the Gulls in front of a Friday-night crowd of 19,486 on May 22, 1998, to secure the U’s promotion to the third tier.

The spot-kick was awarded for handball against Torquay defender Jon Gittens, after Steve Forbes had tried to lift the ball over the former Portsmouth defender in the area.

And it was enough for Colchester to celebrate their first promotion from division three in 22 years.

"It was a big moment in the club's history; that's the case any time that you get a promotion," said Gregory, speaking to the Gazette in 2020.

"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."

The U’s had finished fourth in the division three table that season just a point off the automatic promotion places, having risen from mid-table with ten wins from their final 15 games.

A semi-final victory over Barnet over two legs booked the U’s a trip to Wembley.

The Colchester promotion-winning squad that year featured the likes of skipper Richard Wilkins, Aaron Skelton and joint leading-scorers Mark Sale and Neil Gregory, while goalkeeper Carl Emberson was an ever present.

Paul Abrahams also played his part in Colchester’s promotion that season and says it was an unforgettable experience.

Speaking to the Gazette in 2018, he said: “It’s difficult to explain the feeling of winning promotion in that way.

“It’s one of elation – it’s a long season and we had been so close to winning automatic promotion.

“We went to Cardiff and Hull and won away to pick up big wins.

“I remember Joe Dunne scoring in that Hull win and you need everyone pulling those magic moments out of the bag.

“But we just missed out and we had to get over that disappointment very quickly for the play-offs and the adrenalin gets you to Wembley and the play-off final.

“David Gregory showed so much calmness to slot that penalty away from 12 yards.

“I had split feelings. I was very disappointed not to start the game but it was over 46 games and I played my part in getting us out of that league.

“I had three trips to Wembley in my time at Colchester, which was wonderful.

“Wembley isn’t a great place to lose a game of football.

“But if you had to lose one game there, it would be the Auto Windscreen Shield rather than the play-off final.”