"Fantastic... but that was the job!" Chris Cook remembers scoring for Boston United at Wembley - 35 years ago today

“It was fantastic to score at Wembley. But that was the job.”

Today is exactly 35 years since Chris Cook became the first and only Boston United player to score at England’s most famous stadium.

With the Pilgrims trailing 2-0 to Gola League champions Wealdstone beneath the Twin Towers, the striker - then 23 - latched on to a long Paul Casey punt and flicked the ball over the head of the opposing keeper.

As the ball hit the net, Cook used both fists to punch the air as he leapt with delight.

“A terrible celebration, my son always tells me,” Cook added.

The Pilgrims legend may have scored 181 times for Boston, but Cook - now on the Pilgrims board - has almost had his career defined by that moment, the FA Trophy final of 1985.

“The chairman brings it up every time we go away, he tells people ‘this lad scored at Wembley’ and tries to embarrass me,” Cook added.

“It is a bit embarrassing because we got beat. That’s the most disappointing thing about it really.

“It’s fantastic to have scored at Wembley but it would have been nice to say we won there.”

Andy Graham and Lee Holmes had handed Wealdstone a 2-0 lead.

Pilgrims keeper Kevin Blackwell - who went on to manage Sheffield United and Leeds United - saved a Dennis Byatt penalty before half-time, ensuring Boston had a fighting chance.

“We were so down at half time and Arthur Mann and Ray O’Brien lifted us. They told us to get out there and turn it around.”

Cook scored with 50 minutes on the clock and at the death the Pilgrims thought they’d won it when Dave Gilbert found the net.

“In fairness, there were two or three of us who could have been offside,” Cook confessed.

“Fair play to the ref, he blew as soon as the ball was in the net. It’s just one of those things.”

United fans had turned Wembley amber that day, something Cook likened to the scenes at Hayes when the club won the Conference title in 2002.

“Wembley Way was a sea of amber when we arrived,” Cook said.

“There were 22,000 there that day and I reckon at least 15-16,000 must have been from Boston.

“It was great to see.”

Will United’s players ever see scenes like that again?

“We finished 17th that season so the Trophy run definitely took its toll,” Cook reflected.

“It would be brilliant to see Boston reach the final again but it would be harder these days.

“Back then we were in the Conference Premier, a higher level, plus these days a lot of teams in the division above are full time.

“But playing in the Trophy is always special and you’ve got to live in hope.”