Matchday Memories 2008 : City Kick Off Pre-season With a Win In Austria

No programme was issued but here is a poster

On this day (4th July) in 2008 the Sky Blues under Chris Coleman kicked off their pre-season in readiness for the upcoming Championship season with an game in Austria against an outfit called 1.FC RFE Vöcklabruck.  In an unusual closed-door game, consisting of three half hour periods, the Sky Blues came away with a 2-1 win. It proved little more than a training ground game in the Josef Pappel-Stadion, Wolfsegg against the Austrian Eastern League side.

Though technically not open to the public the game was watched by around 350 fans (including some from Coventry). The Sky Blues had to recover from a 1-0 half time deficit, the Austrian side’s Rade Djokic having netted four minutes before the break. City’s saviour’s were a couple of second half subs Donovan Simmonds, who netted just before the hour, and (now CCFPA member) Robbie Simpson who got the winner after 72 minutes. City obviously decided to reinforce their attacking intent by bringing on the two forwards for defensive pair (now CCFPA member) Scott Dann and Danny Fox and Donovan was being given a second chance after being released by the ‘gaffer’ back in April.

Chris Coleman- Sky Blue Gaffer

There were some new faces in the Chris Coleman‘s City team (current CCFPA members are underlined):-

Keiren Westwood, Stephen Wright, Danny Fox (sub. Donovan Simmonds), Ben Turner, Scott Dann (sub. Robbie Simpson), Guillaume Beuzelin, Leon McKenzie, Aron Gunnarsson, Leon Best, Michael Mifsud and Jay Tabb

Other Subs.:- Marcus Hall, Kevin Kyle, Julian Gray, Chris Birchall, Manuel Curto and Danny Ireland (gk)

Robbie Simpson in Sky Blue Red

1. FC RFE Vöcklabruck’s matchday squad comprised:-
Markus Feuerfeil (gk), Florian Kreuzwirth , Thomas Winkler, Andreas Feichtinger, Michael Winsauer, Michael Obermair, Rade Djokic, Diego Rottensteiner, Christian Falk, Peter Riedl, Bernd Winkler, Thomas Laganda, Dominik Hackinger, Marco Wieser, Denny Mattes, Christoph Schößwendter, Hannes Toth and Mario Steiner     Referee:- Gerald Lehner (Österreich)

Donovan Simmonds in the Sky Blue

Of City’s close season signings, future Irish international ‘keeper Keiren came from Carlisle United, the Belgian Guillaume Beuzelin had come from Hibs, the young future Icelandic international Aron had arrived from AZ Alkmaar. On trial were defender Stephen Wright who was taken on from Sunderland and Manuel Curto from Portuguese side Benfica (who did not get signed).

The pre-season continued with another behind-closed-doors friendly back in Coventry against Birmingham side Solihull Moors (a draw) and then a couple of games in Switzerland against both Swiss and Romanian opposition (both lost). By August 2nd the team had played friendlies in Nuneaton, at Cambridge United finishing with a couple of games in Scotland with just one draw and three wins in these games (which we will cover in later posts on their correct day). All in all an encouraging start to what would prove, apart from a decent F.A.Cup run, to be a disappointing 2008-09 season with a 17th place league finish.

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young & CCFPA Associate Member Kev Monks for sourcing the images.