Matchday Memories: On This Day 2000 – See Sinking Sky Blues Share Spoils With Addicks At The Valley.

Gordon the Gaffer

On this last day of September 2000 the Sky Blues, under ‘gaffer’ Gordon Strachan, returned from The Valley with a 2-2 draw with Charlton Athletic in the Premier League. Currently, like their opponents, in the top half of the division they, of course, were not yet to know it would be the club’s last season in the top flight for 34 unbroken years! There were 20,043 fans in the stadium.

John Aloisi

After their 3-0 defeat at home to West Ham United the previous Saturday a much improved Sky Blues went into half-time at the Valley a goal to the good thanks to our Aussie striker John Aloisi who netted after 41 minutes. Things were going well until, just before the hour mark, Charlton’s Andy Hunt follows up to score after Jensen hit Magnus Hedman‘s crossbar.

Craig Bellamy in the Sky Blue

On 70 minutees new Welsh ‘gaffer’ (in 2024) Craig Bellamy then restored CCFC’s advantage with a successful penalty after the Addick’s Richard Rufus handled in the box following a Paul Telfer corner. The win was not to be, however, after just two minutes from the final whistle the home team capitalised on a poor clearance from Richard Shaw and their Jonatan Johansson produced a spectacular scissor kick to equalise. City had to settle for a 2-2 draw which was exactly repeated in the return at Highfield Road the following February when the Sky Blues were already in the relegation zone.