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On this day at the turn of the millennium (1st April 2000) two genuine CCFC club legends were involved in an auspicious record day for the club. George Curtis CCFC’s former central defender and inspirational ‘skipper’ (who sadly passed away in July 2021) was at the Ricoh Arena as Gordon Strachan’s Sky Blues took on top side Liverpool in the Carling Premiership. The‘Iron Man’ was present to pass on the appearance record baton to the Sky Blues goalkeeping stalwart Steve Ogrizovic as the shot-stopper made his 600th first team appearance since his arrival at CCFC for £72,500 from Shrewsbury Town in June 1984.
Oggy in the Sky Blue red
The big shotstopper sadly did not keep a clean sheet for his 600th appearance as Liverpool beat the Sky Blues 3-0 at Highfield Road on this April Fool’s Day!! The Reds Michael Owen was unstoppable and grabbed a brace and Emile Heskey got the the other one. But for Oggy the defeat would have been worse!
Oggy ended up with 601 Sky Blue games in all competitions with his last appearance on the last day of the season, 6 May 2000 against Sheffield Wednesday. Steve even scored a Sky Blue goal against the same club (at Hillsborough) in a First Division 2-2 draw on 25 October 1986! After hanging up his boots he has undertaken a number of off pitch roles for CCFC including goalkeeping coach, reserve team manager and even (briefly) caretaker manager before retiring after 35 years continuous service to the club (1984-2019).
George in the Sky Blue
Thanks to former CCFPA member Dean Nelson we can show you a photo when ‘ Oggy’ surpassed the Sky Blues appearance record of the ‘Iron Man’ George Curtis‘ record of 543 games (in all competitions) a few season’s previously when George presented Steve with a framed photo of himself (top right). George, of course, had been the Sky Blues inspirational skipper for Jimmy Hill as his team rose through the divisions from Three to One from 1961-67 (though he started the rise at CCFC as a youngster under Billy Frith from Division Four in 1958) !