His place in Carlisle United history, as the club's first Wembley-winning captain, is assured for all time.

And former Blues skipper Steve Hayward reaches a personal milestone today.

It is the 50th birthday of the 1990s Brunton Park midfield maestro.

So what better excuse to take a look back at some of Hayward's highlights from his time in a United shirt, with a little help from YouTube?

Only one place to start: the deciding penalty in the 1997 Auto Windscreens Shield final shoot-out against Colchester. Come for the coolly-taken kick, stay for the shirt-off celebrations and the comedy hat as he lifts the trophy...

Hayward had joined United in the spring of 1995 as a replacement for Preston-bound Simon Davey. The former Derby County midfielder, who cost the Blues £100,000, got his first goal in emphatic style against Scunthorpe for Mick Wadsworth's title-bound Blues.

Hayward's first full season saw the Blues slide back to relegation. The midfielder, after a patchy start, became increasingly influential later in the campaign and provided a handful of goals - including this beauty against Rotherham:

It was the following campaign, 1996/7, when Hayward truly flourished for the Cumbrians as their creative driving force. Here he is tucking home an early-season winner against Leyton Orient in front of the Warwick Road End:

And how could we leave out this peach of a free-kick against the Monkey Hangers?

Hayward's right foot supplied most of his goals and assists for United, but occasionally he let his head do the talking - such as this nice diving finish at Torquay:

Another free-kick, albeit in less conventional circumstances, saw Hayward's finishing prowess again to the fore at Lincoln in that 96/7 promotion season under Mervyn Day...

Another one with the head this time, as Hayward trots forward into dangerous territory, meets a cross and sees his effort squirm in for a crucial winner against Scunthorpe at Brunton Park:

Hayward's last goal for the Blues, before he joined Fulham in the summer of 1997, came in the penultimate game of the promotion season against Rochdale - and ok, it wasn't exactly spectacular, and yes, goalline technology would undoubtedly come into play if it happened at a higher level today. Still...

...and, of course, above all, we'll always have Wembley. Happy Birthday and thanks for the memories, Steve.

News and Star: Steve Hayward lifts United's first piece of Wembley silverware in 1997Steve Hayward lifts United's first piece of Wembley silverware in 1997 (Image: Jonathan Becker)