Matchday Memories: On This Day 2000 – Strachan’s Sky Blues Score 4 To Leave Lilywhites L.C. Losers
Richard Shaw on the cover of the match-day PNE programme
On this day (27th September) in 2000 the Sky Blue team didn’t know it yet but this would be their last season in the top flight. After a promising two Premier League wins in their first three games they had lost three out of four subsequently. Today’s Second Round second leg League Cup game at Highfield Road against Preston North End gave the team a chance to leave behind their Premiership worries temporarily. They had some confidence of progress as, despite having Paul Williams red carded, they had won the first leg at Deepdale by 3-1 with goals from City’s Peruvian striker Ysrael Zuniga ‘Cov Kid’ Marcus Hall and their Scottish player-manager Gordon Strachan (all three now CCFPA members).
The second leg proved something of a formality against their player-manager David Moyes‘ team who fielded in goal 16 year old Andy Lonergan, their youngest debutant since the seventies. The young shot-stopper was not to blame for the three goals scored in City’s blistering start during the first 25 minutes. Eventually, City’s Australian striker John Aloisi bagged a hat-trick and John Eustace the Sky Blue’s fourth goal in an emphatic 4-1 win (both are now Association members) . This would be the only time this Sky Blue squad would score four this season!
John is congratulated on his goal
John in the Sky Blue
Hadji in Action
City’s Craig Bellamy made City’s first and third goals after six and 25 minutes, both taken well by Aloisi. Our Moroccan midfielder Moustapha Hadji made the second on seventeen minutes for (now fellow CCFPA member) John Eustace. Though three goals to the good at half-time it only took a minute after the restart for the Lillywhites’ Mark Rankine to make the aggregate score 6-2, still a hopeless task for North End. City could even afford to lose their ‘keeper Magnus Hedman with a chest injury to be replaced by (now the Swede’s fellow CCFPA member) Chris Kirkland.
John Eustace in the Sky Blue
The tie’s outcome was put beyond absolute doubt after 55 minutes when North End’s Colin Murdock fouled Aloisi in the box and John calmly picked himself up to score from the spot to take the match ball with a deserved hat-trick! City’s win, 7-2 on aggregate delighted the 7,416 crowd, and qualified them for a third round date with Southampton (though Wee Gordon still wanted more from his team)!
Gordon Strachan -City’s ‘gaffer’
WGS chose the following Sky Blues team (CCFPA members underlined):-
Magnus Hedman (sub. Chris Kirkland -31), Marc Edworthy, Marcus Hall, John Eustace, Paul Williams (sub. Gary Breen -72), Richard Shaw, Paul Telfer, Youssef Chippo, John Aloisi (sub. Jay Bothroyd -73), Craig Bellamy and Moustapha Hadji.
David Moyes‘ North End team lined up:-
Andy Lonergan, (‘Cov Kid’) Graham Alexander, Rob Edwards, Sean Gregan, Michael Jackson, Colin Murdock (sub. Ryan Kidd -72), Lee Cartwright (sub. Brian Barry- Murphy -46), Mark Rankine, Steve Robinson, Steve Basham (sub. David Eyres -71) and Iain Anderson Referee:- Chris Foy (St Helens)
CCFC 2000-01
Craig in action
The Sky Blues won their third round tie at Southampton thanks to an extra time goal from John Eustace after finishing goalless at full time. However, the fourth Round at Portman Road Ipswich Town proved a trip too far as the Sky Blues went out by the odd goal in three despite a 53rd minute Craig Bellamy equaliser.
In the Premier League, as all Sky Blues fans dread to be reminded, CCFC eventually bowed to the inevitable after failing to win any of their last four games and being beaten 3-2 at Villa Park by old enemy Aston Villa (after being 2-0 up). They were relegated from the top flight after 34 unbroken years (yet to return) finishing in penultimate spot (nineteenth) on the same points (34) as their fellow Sky Blue City side from Manchester who also departed with bottom club Bradford City.
Manchester United took the title by ten points from the Arsenal.
Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young (& Dean Nelson) for sourcing the images.
