Gordon the Gaffer
On this day (27th August) in 1997 (now CCFPA member) Gordon Strachan pitched his Sky Blues team against West Ham United in a Premier League fixture at Highfield Road in front of a crowd of 18,291. The League’s fixture computers had been kind to CCFC giving them three out of the first four games at the home of the Sky Blues.
CCFC had seen off Chelsea 3-2 in the season’s opener at Highfield Road followed up a couple of days later by a 2-0 reverse at Highbury, the home of Arsenal. The previous Saturday the Sky Blues had another home fixture against Bolton Wanderers and managed a 2-2 draw. In this mid week game (with a game at Old Trafford against Manchester United in prospect at the weekend) the crowd saw an intriguing clash develop with the score fairly ending 1-1 as neither side deserved to lose.
Darren in 1997-98
Gary Breen in the Sky Blue
It was a game of two halves. The Sky Blues finished the first half very strongly after Darren Huckerby scored from close range seven minutes before the break, snapping up a Dion Dublin header in the box (both are now CCFPA members). The Hammers roared back into the second forty-five and their Stan Lazaridis was giving Sky Blues defender Gary Breen a tricky time. Kevin Richardson was the pick of the home defence.
Eventually the Hammers’ pressure told and just after the hour their Paul Kitson managed to get on the end of a headed rebound of the bar from an David Unsworth cross to himself head in the equaliser. So, it ended all square and deservedly so!
To see the highlights, courtesy of former CCFPA committee member Dean Nelson just click on the image below:-
For the record the Sky Blues’ team that day comprised (CCFPA members underlined):-
Steve Ogrizovic, Gary Breen, David Burrows, Trond Egil Soltvedt (sub. Willie Boland-66), Paul D.Williams, Richard Shaw, Paul Telfer, Kevin Richardson, Dion Dublin, Darren Huckerby (sub.Kyle Lightbourne -75) and John Salako.
Unused subs: Roland Nilsson, Michael O’Neill and Magnus Hedman (gk)
Harry Redknapp‘s Hammers lined up as follows:-
John Hartson in his Sky Blue days
Ludek Miklosko, Tim Breacker, Stan Lazaridis, Rio Ferdinand, Marc Reiper, David Unsworth, Eyal Berkovicz, Steve Lomas, John Hartson, Paul Kitson (Iain Dowie -84) and Bobby Moncur. Unused subs: Steve Potts, Frank Lampard, Michael Hughes and Craig Forrest (gk) Referee: Neale Barry (Scunthorpe)
Iain Dowie later went on to manage the Sky Blues and CCFPA member John Hartson had a significant cameo attachment to CCFC in 2001 (and is now an Association member). Also at the Boleyn at this time were other players with Sky Blue connections like goalkeepers (the late) Les Sealey (1976-83) and future loanee Stephen Bywater as well as future midfielder Michael Hughes and forward Andrew Impey.
CCFC 1997-98
The return game at the Boleyn on Boxing Day was a 1-0 win to the Hammers with Paul Kitson scoring again early on. Both teams had a good season with the Hammers finishing eighth, Gordon’s Sky Blues got themselves up to a respectable eleventh place finish in the Premier League in 1997-98.
Arsenal took the Premier League title by a point from Manchester United whilst Bolton Wanderers, Barnsley and bottom club Crystal Palace went in a southerly direction.
Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images.
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