Matchday Memories: On This Pre Season Day 1997 – Macca’s Sky Blues Finally Finish Off Feyenoord

Posted by · Leave a Comment 

Gary Mac on the front page of the programme

On this Sunday (3rd August) in 1997, on the same day as the annual Charity Shield contest this year between Chelsea and Man.Utd., the Sky Blues completed their pre-season preparations with a home clash at Highfield Road with top Dutch ErieDivisie outfit Feyenoord (of Rotterdam). The team from Holland went on to win their Championship the following season 1998-99. 

After just surviving in 19th spot in the previous Premiership campaign thanks to a points deduction awarded to Middlesbrough, Sky Blues manager (now CCFPA member) Gordon Strachan was determined to ensure a comfortable finish in 1997-98 and it was to be mission accomplished (see later).

City had had a successful pre season tour of Scotland in July beating Ayr United by three clear goals, Dunfermline by the only goal and Hibernian by two goals to nil. However, at the end of the month they had lost 2-0 at Stoke City but, in their last warm up game two days previously, they had walloped Torquay United 4-1 away.

Trond in the Sky Blue

John in the Sky Blue

This game against Feyenoord was to prove a much closer affair but the Sky Blues managed to see out the game winning by the odd goal in three in front of a Highfield Road crowd of 5,700.  City’s scorers were Trond-Egil Soltvedt after 21 minutes and (now CCFPA member) John Salako wrapped up the narrow Sky Blues win just two minutes from the final whistle.

Interestingly, appearing at No.2 for Feyenoord was George Boateng who manager WGS went on to sign the following December and made 19 appearances scoring once in his initial season.

The following season, of course, the Ghanaian born George further endeared himself to Sky Blues fans by grabbing a brace in CCFC’s 4-1 win at Villa Park on 27 February 1999 which ended the club’s 63-year-long wait for a league win at the ground of our biggest bogey team, Aston Villa.  In fact it was George who got Feyenoord‘s equalising goal three minutes before half-time!

The Sky Blues squad that year has many notable players including internationals and several (like Gordon Strachan) who went on to club and international management. See if you can spot a future Northern Ireland ‘gaffer’ in the listings (above left) who only got limited exposure in the Sky Blues first team!

The Sky Blues team on the day was (CCFPA members underlined):-

Steve Ogrizovic: Richard Shaw, David Burrows, Trond-Egil Soltvedt, Paul Williams, Gary Breen, Paul Telfer, Gary McAllister, Dion Dublin, Kyle Lightbourne (sub. Darren Huckerby -68) and John Salako.

Gordon the Gaffer

As for the Sky Blues, Strachan’s men finished in a very comfortable 11th-place (their highest in four seasons) and they only suffered ten defeats all season (only bettered by Arsenal, Man Utd. and Liverpool)!  Right up to the final day of the season, the Sky Blues were within a shout of a UEFA Cup place but were pipped by the ‘old enemy’ the Villa, largely because of producing an extraordinary number (16) of stalemates.

Dion Dublin finished joint top scorer in the Premiership with 23 goals (18 in the league) ably backed up by fellow CCFPA member Darren Huckerby. ‘Hucks’ got 15 in league and cup. Dion stared with an opening day hat-trick against Chelsea at Highfield Road almost a week after the Feyenoord game. The season might have been even more successful had not the Sky Blues lost 3-1 on penalties in the quarter final replay of the F.A.Cup at Bramall Lane having drawn 1-1 again at full time with Sheffield United at Highfield Road.

CCFC 1997-98

Also on this day in pre-season friendlies, in 1999 City lost by the only goal at Hereford United and in 2002 they beat Rushden and Diamonds 2-1 away on their own patch (see a later post)!

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the photos

 

Share Post

Comments

Speak Your Mind

Tell us what you're thinking...


*
= 5 + 7