Danny Bergara was appointed manager in March 1989, and gained automatic promotion to the Third Division in 1990–91. In the 1992 Associate Members' Cup Final, Bergara became the first South American to lead an English team at Wembley; Stoke City defeated County 1–0. He led Stockport to Wembley on three further occasions, once more in the 1993 Football League Trophy Final and twice in the play-offs, but lost all. In March 1995, Bergara was sacked after an altercation with then chairman Brendan Elwood, and was succeeded by Dave Jones. That same year saw the opening of the new all-seated Cheadle End stand, whose capacity was just over 5,000. The 1996–97 season proved to be the most successful in the club's history: Stockport finished second in the Second Division and reached the semi-final of the League Cup, in which they eliminated three Premiership teams before losing 2–1 against Middlesbrough over two legs. Dave Jones left for Southampton in 1997 and Gary Megson took over as manager. County finished eighth in the First Division in his first season, only two places off the play-offs—the club's best ever league placing.