Just 11 years before, Wimbledon were a non-league club but they won promotion into the league and up to the old Division 1 (now the Premiership) in remarkable fashion.

No-one gave them a chance in the final against a Liverpool team which had won the European Cup four times and league championship on many occasions.

But the underdogs triumphed 1-0 and spawned now legendary images of players like Vinnie Jones, Dennis Wise and John Fashanu parading the famous old trophy around Wembley Stadium.

Alan, who now lives in Oakham, recalled Wimbledon's unusual preparations for that special day for the Rutland Times. He said: "We were confident beforehand because we had already beaten Liverpool at Anfield that season.

"We had a good drink the night before. We were in the bar until they chucked us out at 11.45pm and none of us got much sleep."

Wimbledon showed precious little respect for their opponents, who included Alan Hansen, Peter Beardsley and John Barnes. Lawrie Sanchez, who until recently was manager of Fulham, headed the winner eight minutes before half-time and Liverpool striker John Aldridge had a second half penalty saved by Dave Beasant.

"We always used to shout in the tunnel as we went out and on that day Vinnie and Fash were screaming," recalled Alan.

"I remember the roar of 98,000 people as we came out. It was a weird feeling though because once we kicked off it felt like just another game of football.

"When Sanchez scored the goal I was just inches away from making contact with the ball when Wisey knocked over the free kick.

"It was a great day because my mum and dad were there and Princess Di presented us with the cup.

"It was strange at the end, though, because it was deathly quiet in our changing room. All hell broke out later on when we started celebrating.

"I was only on £400 a week and we never got a bonus for winning the cup."

Alan, who is now 48, moved to Rutland when he became assistant manager to Mickey Adams at Leicester City. He is currently unemployed but wants to get back into the game. His son, Jack, is a professional with Chelsea and he spent last season on loan at Scunthorpe United.

Alan's amazing career began unspectacularly in the reserves at Derby County. Alan joined Wimbledon when the club was in the old Division 4 in 1977.

The Dons, as they were nicknamed, had been a non-league team the year before but they won promotion that season and made steady progress all the way to the top flight only nine years later.

A unique team spirit was formed in a team which played physical, direct football involving long balls pumped forward for strapping forwards.

They became known as The Crazy Gang and the top teams hated playing them. The big stars dreaded going to play Wimbledon at their ramshackle Plough Lane ground.

Alan said: "We used to go out drinking a lot during the week as a team. Our manager Harry Bassett used to say 'you can go out and do whatever you like as long as you can train in the morning'. We were all fit lads though. "We would go off on eight or nine mile runs, which footballers don't do these days."

Wimbledon were such a tight knit bunch, said Alan, that new players found it very difficult to integrate.

"We used to burn each other's clothes and cut them up for a laugh," he recalled.

"Some of us used to disappear behind the bushes and have a bit of a play fight. We would end up with cuts and bruises but it was great for team spirit."

The most celebrated member of The Crazy Gang was probably Vinnie Jones, who is now a Hollywood film star.

Alan remembers the young Vinnie, who gave up his job as a builder's labourer to play for Wimbledon.

"When he was a young lad Vinnie couldn't say no to a fight," he recalled.

"He often used to come in with black eyes but he had a great career for an average player."

That cup-winning team broke up within 12 months as a succession of players were snapped up by bigger clubs. Alan almost made it to a second FA Cup final in 1993.

He scored in the Wembley semi-final for Sheffield United against local rivals Sheffield Wednesday but his team lost 2-1.

Alan's playing career ended at Fulham shortly afterwards.

He moved into management and had stints at Swansea, Brighton, Fulham, Cardiff, Leicester and Coventry.

Whatever Alan achieves in the game, however, he will always be remembered for being a member of the Crazy Gang who won the FA Cup against all odds. Wimbledon, of course, has since morphed into Milton Keynes Dons, which saddens Alan.

"The BBC recently did a series on club cult heroes and I was picked as the one for Milton Keynes Dons, which doesn't feel right because I never played for them, " he added.

"Every player likes to go back to watch his old club and it is just a shame I can't go back to Wimbledon."