Gary Mac – Sky Blue ‘gaffer’
The programme
On this day (July 16th) in 2003 Sky Blues player-manager was Scottish international Gary McAllister (assisted by Eric Black). Gary, who was impressive with the Sky Blues under CCFPA member Gordon Strachan from 1996-2000 had returned to Highfield Road from a spell at Liverpool in May 2002 to replace another former international Sky Blue player and fairly recent CCFPA signing Roland Nilsson.
Gary Mac had kicked off the Sky Blues four match pre-season warm-up tournament in Germany with a 2-0 win over a fairly modest Landesliga side Suhler SV 06 on July 11th and was disappointed that his side succumbed so easily by 5-1 to the stronger side Greuther Furth two days later. City’s on-trial German ‘keeper Achim Hollerieth paid the penalty for that defeat with no contract forthcoming.
‘Big Mo’ Konjic in the Sky Blue
Today there was a chance for the side, packed full of trialists (like full back pairing of Cameroon international Gustav Bahoken and German ‘Manny’ Wengert) to redeem itself and they certainly ran riot beating SC Weismain by ten goals to one!! The game was only eighty minutes long, starting late because of late arrival of the referee and the need to start a subsequent game between Glasgow Rangers and Greuther Furth on time.
Pat Suffo in the Sky Blue
Now CCFPA member (ex-Blade and Cameroon international) Patrick Suffo was also a trialist and scored a clinical brace to effectively earn himself a City contract. Pat’s first, an impressive right-foot volley, came after only three minutes but fellow trialist, Polish goalkeeper Alexander Klak‘s first job was to pick the ball out of his own net after SC Weismain equalised two minutes later through Michael Loesch. Pat’s second came before the half-hour after a cross from fellow trialist (and Pat’s fellow CCFPA member) Michael Doyle – whose performance also earned him a contract).
Simon Donnelly (Scotland)
Graham in the Sky Blue
It was manager Gary Mac who grabbed City’s third goal after 35 minutes made by (another current Association member) ‘Dele Adebola. Giant City centre back (also now CCFPA member) Mo Konjic headed in City’s fourth after 44 minutes from a corner followed by a goal from ‘Doyler’, then Graham Barrett and then Scottish substitute Simon Donnelly with City’s seventh. City pressed forward and continued the goal splurge with Emmanuel Wengert converting a cross from Bahoken with twenty minutes to go and a second goal each from both Big ‘Mo’ and Graham Barrett within three minutes.
Michael Doyle in the Sky Blue
Ten goals from seven scorers was a pretty good Sky Blue haul!
Andy Turner‘s full match report in the Coventry Telegraph can be found here.
Gary Mac fielded the following Sky Blue team who played 4-4-2 (subs in brackets; CCFPA members underlined):-
Alexander Klak; Gustav Bahoken, Mo Konjic, Calum Davenport, Emanuel Wengert; Isaac Osbourne, Youssef Safri (Simon Donnelly -54), Gary McAllister (Stephen Warnock -54), Michael Doyle (Graham Barrett -54); ‘Dele Adebola (Andrew Whing -54) and Patrick Suffo (Sean Cooney -57). *Unused sub:*Scott Shearer (goalkeeper).
Manny Wengert
Stephen came as a loan signing from Liverpool, Simon was a Sheffield Wednesday trialist. Graham was a new signing from Arsenal.
City lost the last game on their German tour 1-0 at FC Regensburg.
In ‘proper’ league and cup games, in all Gary selected himself for sixty games and scored a dozen goals before retiring as a player. After a somewhat indifferent spell as manager Gary resigned from his managerial position on 12 January 2004 so he could spend more time with his seriously ill wife and assistant ‘gaffer’, imminent CCFPA Podcast interviewee, Eric Black took over.
CCFC 2003-04
All in all Eric completed a decent Sky Blues season in Division One the team finishing in a creditable mid table twelfth spot with a CCFPA membership trio finishing as top scorers that season. Gary McSheffrey grabbed a dozen goals, Julian Joachim eleven and Andy Morrell nine goals.
Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images.
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