Matchday Memories: On This Day 2004 – Reid’s Sky Blues Rack Up Royals Win At Reading
Peter at Highfield Road
On this day (30th October) in 2004 the Sky Blues manager Peter Reid picked a team to take on Reading in a Championship game in the Sky Blues last season at Highfield Road. A strong team representing the Royals, managed by Steve Coppell, were eventually defeated by the odd goal in five in front of 13,651 fans. This was a much needed win for the Sky Blues with many fans unhappy with football under Peter’s managerial reign.
Stern in the Sky Blue
The Sky Blues had made more defensive changes and the back four still look jittery especially when the Royal’s Lloyd Owosu gave them a tenth minute lead. Relief came for the Sky Blues when City centre forward Stern John was fouled in the penalty area three minutes later and, taking the spot kick himself, Stern confidently equalised. It remained all square at half time.
Andy in the Sky Blue
The second half proved even more profitable for the Sky Blues when Stern’s fellow forward Andy Morrell was set up for the second five minutes after the break by the Sky Blues’ Sam Ricketts (Andy and Sam are now CCFPA members).
Things looked safe for City after 65 minutes when the hard working Eddie Johnson finished off a great ball from (now CCFPA member) Pat Suffo. However, defensive jitters continued and the Royals’ Dave Kitson grabbed one back with twenty minutes to go and might have equalised near the end before a relieved Sky Blues heard the final whistle.
Eddie in the Sky Blue
Reid’s men that day comprised (CCFPA members underlined):-
Luke Steele, Louis Carey, Stuart Giddings, Stephen Hughes, Dean Leacock, Florent Laville, Andy Morrell, Michael Doyle, Stern John (sub. Patrick Suffo -46), Eddie Johnson (sub. Gary McSheffrey -84) and Sam Ricketts (sub. Eric Deloumeaux -80)
Unused subs. Richard Shaw and Scott Shearer (gk)
Steve Coppell‘s Reading put the following XI out:-
Marcus Hahnemann, Graeme Murty, Nicky Shorey, Steve Sidwell, Ibrahima Sonko, Ivar Ingimarsson, Glen Little, James Harper, Dave Kitson, Lloyd Owusu and Paul Brooker (sub. Bobby Convey -58) Unused Subs: Andy Hughes, Dean Morgan, Ricky Newman and Jamie Young (gk). Referee:- Graham Salisbury (Lancashire)
CCFC 2004-05
Sky Blue Manager Micky
The Sky Blues, by now with (now CCFPA member) Micky Adams in charge, beat the Royals 2-1 in the return on their own patch to complete the double the following February with goals from ‘Cov.Kid’ Gary McSheffrey and Stern John.
The Highfield Road era finished off with a wonderfully poignant 6-2 win over Derby County in front of nearly 23,000 fans but even given a last day 2-1 defeat at Crewe Alexandra the Sky Blues finished safe by two points and three positions above the drop on 52 points. Reading ended the 2004-05 season in seventh missing out on the play-offs. Sixth placed West Ham won this competition to go up with champions Sunderland and runners up Wigan Athletic.
The relegated trio were Gillingham, Nottingham Forest and, on the bottom, Rotherham United.
Amazingly, exactly sixteen years later the Sky Blues repeated the 3-2 scoreline this time at the Sky Blues exile ‘home from home’ at St Andrews (see later post)!
