13 Years Ago… One Night in Sheffield

After a disappointing 1997 League Cup Final at Wembley ended in a 1-1 draw with a late equaliser from Emile Heskey, Leicester and Middlesbrough replayed at Hillsborough ten days later on 16th April.
20,000 City and 20,000 Boro fans descnded on Sheffield to witness an exciting encounter between to evenly matched sides… one moment seperated them. Steve Walsh won an aerial duel with Nigel Pearson and Steve Claridge was in the right place at the right time (again) to guide the ball into the net.

It was City’s first major honour in 33 years and, incredibly, Martin O’Neill had delivered on his promise of getting City into Europe just 16 months into the job.
Apparently Juninho still wakes up in a cold sweat after dreaming that Pontus Kaamark is following him around….

Fox Covers: Bridging the Gap

The FOX No 61 – May 1996…

This cover illustrates the growing concerns that we had that the gap between Premier and Division One would become too big to cross, creating a closed shop.
Looking back I think we got it wrong… a gap did open up, but it was between the very biggest clubs and the rest.  There isn’t that big a difference in quality between teams in the bottom half of the Premier League and the top half of the Championship, and we would have been surprised to see Burnley, Hull, Wigan, Stoke, and Bolton competing up there.
City did jump the gap that year, escaping the ‘Deadendsleigh’, thanks to Steve Claridge’s late winner at Wembley, and lived at that level for six seasons.

Top Ten Moments at the Walkers…

We know we are guilty of mourning Filbert Street’s passing on here, so let’s have Ten Great Moments since the move from Filbert Street to Filbert Way…

1.  10/8/02 - Opening Day – the first 30,000 plus crowd in many years, the excitement of being in our new home, and a great 2-0 win over Watford thanks to two goals from Brian Deane.

2. 14/12/02 – Despite Stevie Claridge’s first minute goal, City thrash Dennis Wise’s Millwall 4-1. 31,904 City fans fill the ground, but away fans are banned.

3.  27/4/03 - Micky Adams and his side celebrate promotion to the Premiership after a 1-1 draw against Norwich City.

4. 15/9/03 - City stuff Leeds 4-0 and Lilian Nalis scores a magnificent opener, all in front of the Sky cameras.

5. 8/11/04 - Craig Levein’s first home game in charge brings a 3-0 win over neighbours Coventry with goals from Nalis, Tiatto and Heath.

6. 26/11/2005 - An otherwise drab season is lit up by a fine 4-2 win over Sheffield United, Hume (2), Smith and Hammond finding the net.

7. 4/3/06 - City win a thriller against Hull 3-2, with Joey Gudjonsson scoring from the half way line.

 

8. 25/8/07 - It all clicks together for Martin Allen’s side as they beat Watford 4-1, with goals from Hume, Campbell, Sheehan and De Vries. 

9. 13/4/09 - Steve Howard’s late header against Leeds brings a 1-0 win and huge step towards the League One title.

10. 24/4/09 - Nigel Pearson’s side are presented with the League One trophy after a 2-2 draw with Scunthorpe, bouncing back from Division Three at the first attempt…