Therefore, the Second Round League Cup game today was undoubtedly a pleasant diversion from the poor League start

The 1996–1997 Premier League season for the Sky Blues had a terrible start on this day (the 24th) under the direction of Ron Atkinson, who is now a CCFPA member. Starting off with a humiliating 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest at home on the first day, the Sky Blues had only won one and lost five of their first seven games, including a 1-0 loss to Sunderland at Roker Park the Saturday before.

Therefore, the Second Round League Cup game today was undoubtedly a pleasant diversion from the poor League start. In the first leg of the competition six days prior, Atkinson’s team could only muster a 1-1 draw at home against Midland rival Birmingham City at Highfield Road. Even so, Liam Daish, our central defender and a current CCFPA member, had to score an equalizer with a volley in the 88th minute to keep the match against the Division One team alive.

Along with 15,281 spectators, Sky TV cameras were present to film this game this evening. A second-half free kick from Sky Blues “skipper” Gary McAllister decided this second leg match versus Brum at St Andrews. His shot took enough of a deflection off the head of former Sky Blue forward Paul Furlong in the 62nd minute to surpass Ian Bennett, the goalkeeper for the visiting squad. Later, from February to May 2005, Ian was a Sky Blue loanee from BCFC.

When (former Brum favorite) Liam Daish was dismissed with fifteen minutes left in the game after collecting his second yellow of the game (for his second dismissal already this season), the Sky Blues had to cling on despite intense pressure from the Blues. John Salako of the Sky Blues also struck the crossbar and squandered a golden opportunity late, which may have made City’s 2-1 victory overall more convincing.

City’s 1-0 triumph that night was their first ever away victory in front of Sky cameras! Gary Breen, a defender for the Blues, was apparently very impressive to the Sky Blues management team because CCFC acquired him for £2.5 million as early as 1997.