Matchday Memories: On This Day 2003 – See JH Watch Sky Blue Sub JJ Jump Start Sky Blues Alex Win
Gary in the Sky Blue
Julian Joachim in the Sky Blue
On this day (1st October) in 2003 the Sky Blues, under player-manager Gary McAllister, were facing their ninth Division One game of the season with only two wins to their name so far this season (and three losses). Dario Gradi, ‘gaffer’ of our opponents Crewe Alexandra, was recovering from heart surgery and might have felt his team were unlucky in this game as they hit the woodwork three times! However, the Sky Blues smallest league crowd for nine years (11,553) watched as the out of favour Sky Blue winger Julian Joachim (now a CCFPA member) sparked a home win over the Alex by two clear goals.
Match action
Andy in the Sky Blue
Future Sky Blue ‘goalie Clayton Ince was between the sticks for Alex that day. There was no score at half-time when the legendary former Sky Blue manager (and CCFPA member) Jimmy Hill was interviewed on the pitch by BBC CWR’s Stuart Linnell (left). JH would have been pleased to see City’s first goal arrive only five minutes into the second period courtesy of a rare headed goal from the ‘gaffer’, Macca finishing off a cross from JJ (now Julian’s CCFPA member) Clayton Ince.
Another header two minutes after the hour mark, this time from City striker (and now CCFPA member) Andy Morrell from a free kick taken by another Association recruit Youssef Safri doubled the lead and proved to be the final goal of the game.
Thanks to CCFPA’s former committee member Dean Nelson you can watch highlights of the game by clicking on the image below:-
On this day 2003 @Coventry_City beat Crewe 2-0 at Highfield Road , headers from Gary McAllister and @andymorrell01 gave City the points .@ccfpa pic.twitter.com/SGpFTsSJ1W
— Deano's Sky Blues memories (@deanocity3) October 1, 2020
Clayton Ince, David Wright, David Vaughan, Kenny Lunt (sub. Paul Edwards -81), Stephen Foster, Richard Walker, Neil Sorvel, Justin Cochrane, Billy Jones, Dean Ashton and Ben Rix (sub. Lee Bell -60) Referee:- J.Ross
More match action
The 2003-04 season saw the Sky Blues’ hot seat vacated successively by Gary Mac (who left to look after his sick wife at the end of the year), then by Gary’s Assistant Eric Black and finally Peter Reid (both now CCFPA members). It was Peter who saw out the season in which the Sky Blues’s campaign petered out to finish twelfth! Crewe Alexandra finished eighteenth but got revenge over the Sky Blues the following April in the return beating us 3-1 at Gresty Road.
CCFC 2003-04
Norwich City (Champs), runners up West Bromwich Albion and sixth placed Crystal Palace (winners of the playoffs) were all promoted.
At the other end of the table Walsall, Bradford City and bottom club AFC Wimbledon all went down.
