Matchday Memories: On This Day 1997 – Strachan’s Sky Blues Squeak Past The Tangerines In L.Cup
On this first day of October 1997 the Sky Blues, managed by Gordon Strachan, were on League Cup duty. In the Premier League things were not going too well so far with the season nine games in and, apart from the opening 3-2 win over Chelsea only one other top flight win so far (and only five more goals) with City in twelfth place. Last time out a goalless draw at Blackburn Rovers‘ Ewood Park was all they could manage.
Gordon the Gaffer
Midweek the Sky Blues faced Blackpool in the second leg of their Second Round tie having lost by the only goal of the game (a 76th minute header from Andy Linighan) at Bloomfield Road on a rainy and windswept evening in mid September. There was controversy in that the Sky Blues forward (and fairly recent CCFPA recruit) Kyle Lightbourne claimed a laser light pen shone from the crowd had thwarted a clear goal opportunity. The Sky Blue Army were expecting better things tonight, though only 9,605 turned up to see if the Sky Blues could save the tie. In the event CCFC just scraped through 3-2 on aggregate at Highfield Road. Injury hit City looked in deep trouble when Linighan scored again in the 36th minute and the Sky Blues went into the break 2-0 down on aggregate.
Gary in Sky Blue action
Dion in the Sky Blue
However, City’s captain Gary McAllister, who had a magnificent game, led a stirring fightback and clawed things back with a brace of penalties, the second an 89th minute winner awarde fror needless handball in the box by the Tangerines Marvin Bryan (who proved the villain of the piece for the visitors)!
Gary Mac’s first penalty strike came a minute after the hour mark awarded for Bryan’s foul on (now CCFPA member) Dion Dublin in the box. And it was Dion himself who scored the Sky Blues second with a flying header, his fiftieth goal for CCFC!
Of the thirteen players and unused sub, the manager’s son Gavin Strachan) who wore the Sky Blue shirt on the Highfield Road pitch that night, only two (Gary and Michael) have not yet joined this Association. The referee was Mr. Mike Reed (Birmingham). The ‘Pools’ unused subs were Chris Malkin, Nigel Worthington and James Quinn.
The Sky Blues had little trouble disposing of the Toffeemen in Round Three of the League Cup beating Everton 4-1. However the Fourth Round trip to Highbury to meet Arsenal proved a step too far as the Gunners won a 99th minute extra time goal from Dennis Bergkamp!
CCFC 1997-98
CCFC finished the 1997-98 Premiership season in a comfortable mid table position of eleventh. Arsenal took the title this season by a single point from Manchester United. The relegated trio was Bolton Wanderers, Barnsley and (bottom) Crystal Palace.
