Matchday Memories: On This Day 1997 – No Goals At Ewood But Two Off & ‘Oggy’ Catches the ‘Iron Man’!

Steve in 1987

On this day (28th Sept) in 1997 the Sky Blues travelled to Ewood Park in the Carling Premiership to take on Blackburn Rovers and the goal-less draw they achieved ended a miserable run at the Lancashire club’s ground.

It was a memorable day involving three FPs who all later became CCFPA members. The Sky Blues’ clean sheet was kept by our club legend, goalkeeper Steve Ogrizovic, who in this game equalled the club’s league appearance record of 487 held by ‘Iron Man’ (the late) George Curtis. Additionally (now Association member) Gordon Strachan was the man in the Sky Blue hot seat that day.

Dion in the Sky Blue 1999

The game, watched by 19,086 fans, will actually be remembered more by most who watched it for the two red cards awarded that day.

CCFPA member Dion Dublin saw red in the 42nd minute following an elbow on future Sky Blue centre half Colin Hendry. Both teams were reduced to ten men after seventy minutes when the Rovers forward Jason Wilcox was sent to the dressing room after lashing out at a future Northern Ireland manager, one of the Sky Blues subs on the day, Michael O’Neill.

Gordon the Gaffer

Gordon Strachan‘s Sky Blues team that day (CCFPA members underlined) was:-

Steve Ogrizovic, Roland Nilsson, David Burrows, Trond-Egil Soltvedt, Gary Breen, Richard Shaw, Paul Telfer (sub. Michael O’Neill -46), Gary McAllister, Dion Dublin, Darren Huckerby (sub. Kyle Lightbourne -64) and Marcus Hall

Unused subs:- Trond-Egil Soltvedt, Adam Willis and Magnus Hedman (gk)

Roy Hodgson‘s Rovers XI comprised:-

Tim Flowers, Patrick Valery (sub. Damien Duff -56), Jeff Kenna, Tim Sherwood (c), Colin Hendry, Stephane Henchos, Kevin Gallacher, Gary Flitcroft, Chris Sutton, Martin Dahlin (sub. Lars Bohinen -75) and Jason Wilcox  Unused subs:- Tore Pedersen, Billy McKinley and Alan Fettis (gk)  Referee: Peter Jones (Loughborough)

There were plenty of Sky Blue connections with the Rovers squad at this time. Apart from Colin Hendry, Tim Sherwood and Kenilworth born Tim Flowers (as a loanee) would also later become Sky Blue players and (now CCFPA member) Kevin Gallacher had moved to Ewood from Highfield Road as had goalie John Filan who was not in this Blackburn team.

CCFC 1997-98

This result was the third in a sequence of four successive draws for the Sky Blues. City played the return with Blackburn Rovers in May, in their penultimate game of the season, and won 2-0 with a nineteenth minute penalty from Dion Dublin and a Sky Blue second four minutes after the half hour from Dutchman George Boateng (currently, of course, CCFC’s first team coach).

CCFC finished the 1997-98 Premiership season in a comfortable mid table position of eleventh whereas Rovers finished in sixth spot. Arsenal took the title this season by a single point from Manchester United. The relegated trio was Bolton Wanderers, Barnsley and (bottom) Crystal Palace.

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images.