The 1984–85 season was one of mixed fortunes for the club; a fire gutted the old Main Stand on 25 October 1984, but on the pitch, under Brown's management, they reached the final of the League Cup (known at that time as the Milk Cup) at Wembley, having defeated local rivals Ipswich Town in the semi-final. In the final, they beat Sunderland 1–0, but in the league both Norwich and Sunderland were relegated to the second tier of English football. By winning a major trophy, Brown's side qualified for the UEFA Cup, but were denied their first foray into European competition when English club sides were banned, following the Heysel Stadium disaster. City made an immediate return to the top flight by winning the Second Division championship in the 1985–86 season. Brown's success continued into the 1986–87 season, when Norwich finished fifth, but following the departure of his assistant, Mel Machin, the club made a weak start to the following season and Brown was dismissed in November 1987. Dave Stringer, who had made nearly 500 appearances for City as a player, was appointed manager. He kept Norwich in the top tier and the following season the club finished fourth, which, like the 1986–87 season, would have been enough for 1989–90 UEFA Cup qualification, but the ban on English clubs was still in place. Stringer also managed to guide City to the semi-finals of the 1988–89 FA Cup and repeated the feat in the 1991–92 tournament. However, the 1991–92 season saw Norwich flirt with relegation and finished 18th, leading to Stringer's resignation.