What looked to be the dream season took its first twist when Steve Claridge broke Boro hearts in the 100th minute at Hillsborough.
It was on this day in 1997 when Boro, still smarting from conceding that last gasp sickener at Wembley, went in search of silverware at the second time of asking against Leicester.
But while Robson’s superstars had dominated the game underneath the Twin Towers and were only denied by that cruel late goal, fatigue caught up with them when the sides went at it again in Sheffield in the replay.
Boro gave their all, scrapped and battled until the very last second, and stood firm at the back throughout 90 agonising minutes but struggled to find the spark to cause the Foxes any problems at the other end.
For the first time in a unforgettable roller-coaster season, Boro were starting to show signs that their relentless fixture programme was catching up with them.
Just like it had been at Wembley, the Boro end was a sea of red at Hillsborough.
But while Boro had launched a wave of attacks in the capital, they were frustrated by Martin O’Neil’s well thought out tactical approach in the replay.
That said, Robson’s side weren’t exactly subjected to a barrage of attacks themselves and it wasn’t until 10 minutes into extra time when Leicester struck the matchwinning blow.
“We are disappointed to lose,” admitted Robson.
“You need a little bit of good fortune to win a cup and we didn’t get it.
“But it’s over, it’s gone, and we have to concentrate our thoughts on other things.”
Robson was referring to an FA Cup semi-final replay with Chesterfield and a relegation run-in, starting with the home game against Sunderland just three days after the cup final.
“It doesn’t matter how you get beat, it still hurts,” added Robson.
“The desire has always been there. The lads want to win and they want to achieve things.
“They did their best in the cup final but they didn’t get the run of the ball around the box.”
The long wait for major silverware went on, the heartbreak at Hillsborough the start of a disastrous end to the campaign.
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