Matchday Memories: On This Pre Season Day 2003 – Sky Blues Win Cup In Oxford Marathon!
On this day (July 26th) in pre-season 2003, back from a four game tour of Germany with mixed results, the Sky Blues took on Oxford United in their pre-season schedule.
The game was billed as the Billy Halsey Memorial Cup (which the Oxfordshire FA apparently had awarded annually since 1904) and Gary McAllister’s men, with Gary playing from the start, went on to take the trophy 9-8 on penalties after a scoreless draw at full time and no less than 22 penalty takers!!
A somewhat wry Coventry Telegraph contemporary match report of the game can be accessed here.
![](http://www.ccfpa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/McAllister-G-Gary-a-2-200x300.jpg)
Gary McAllister- Sky Blue ‘gaffer’
Gary Mac’s Sky Blues fielded the following players (CCFPA members underlined):-
Scott Shearer; Andrew Whing (Emanuel Wengert -46), Mo Konjic, Calum Davenport, Stephen Warnock; Isaac Osbourne (Yazid Mansouri -??), Gary McAllister (Graham Barrett -??), Youssef Safri, Michael Doyle (Marcel MahouvĂ© -??); Patrick Suffo (Andy Hall -75) and ‘Dele Adebola (Avun Jephcott -??). Unused substitutes: Sean Cooney, Gustav Bahoken, Mark Noon and Jonathan Tuffey (gk)
Ian Atkins Oxford United team comprised:-
Andy Woodman; Scott McNiven (Izzy Iriekpen -40), Andy Crosby, Matt Bound, Matt Robinson; Derek Townsley (James Hunt -69), Danny Brown (Andy Scott -75), Tom Widdrington (Fitzroy Simpson -??), Dean Whitehead (Chris Hackett -69); Julian Alsop and Steve Basham (Mark Rawle -??). Referee: Dermot Gallacher
After the goalless ninety minutes failed to decide the Cup winners a long penalty decider ensued. City’s successful outfield spot-kickers were (from those who started) Youssef, Callum and Mo and (from the substitutes) Yazid, Avun, Andrew, ‘Manny’ and Marcel.
The last two named were trialists who failed to win a contract. Marcel was a Cameroonian trialist (as was Gustav) and Emanuel, who was from Germany, also had an unsuccessful trial with CCFC two years later. Even Sky Blue goalie Scott nailed his chance but Stephen and Graham missed their attempts. Oxford’s players missed three of their penalty chances.
Wins at Mansfield Town by a single goal and a 2-0 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Highfield Road completed pre season. In a decent First Division season the Sky Blues finished twelfth!
By coincidence, on this very day five years later in 2008 the Sky Blues played another Oxbridge opponent, Cambridge United and we will cover this pre-season friendly on this site later today so check back later!
Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images.