Team
Konstantopolous,Ward,Doyle,Cairo,McKenzie, Tabb,McNamee, Best,M.Hughes,Borrowdale,Turner Subs Marshall,S.Hughes,Adebola,Osbourne,Gray
Sheff Wed
Grant,Hinds,Whelan,Tudgay,O'Brien,Watson,Simek,J.Johnson,Small, M.Johnson,Spurr Subs Bullen,Lunt,Esajas,Beevers,Folly
SWFC 0-0 CCFC ABD 27
ATT N/K
Ref G.Laws. Att 18192 (935 Cov)
---------------------
STARTING FORMATION
Iain Dowie brought in Ellery Cairo for Michael Mifsud.
Best McKenzie Cairo
Tabb Doyle M.Hughes
Borrowdale Turner Ward McNamee
Dimi
-----------
CITY SUPPORT
Another excellent turn out of City supporters which was around the 1200 mark included supporters from Ireland, Gloucester,London and Kent.
-----------
GROUND
A big old ground which is one of the biggest in the Championship and one fondly remembered by City supporters for the events in 1987.
Visiting supporters get the top section of the Leppings Lane end stand. However, unfortunately, the police after the Hillsborough disaster, feel that any away fan who drinks is a danger. Hence, alcohol is not available in the ground and none of the pubs near the ground admit visiting supporters.
--------------------------
Coventry City had their game at Sheffield Wednesday abandoned after 27 minutes.
"Carry on until you hear otherwise" has been the message to City's staff has been the message this week after no news as to whether the club will be in administration or at the mercy of Hedge Fund SISU and their frontman Ray Ranson has been forthcoming.
We journeyed up the M1 to Hillsborough in pouring rain, hoping that Iain Dowie would stick with the same attacking 4-3-3 formation that had aided a superb performance at West Brom on Tuesday night.
Dowie did keep the same formation but was without Michael Mifsud who had allegedly been involved in a car crash on Toll Bar Island or had a slight hamstring twinge depending on what version you wish to believe. How serious either was,is not clear but it was enough to keep him out of the sixteen.
We made our way to the ground and took our place in the Leepings Lane Stand as the teams warmed up.
We could clearly see that there were puddles being formed on the main stand side which is close to a river that flooded badly in the summer and it was with some surprise that we watched the match kick off.
City were straight on the attack, whilst the stewards got abused for trying to make the sodden City support at the back of the stand sit down.
In the sixth minute and with Wednesday not even having had the ball in our half,a long kick from Dimi found Leon McKenzie. The striker swung his right boot at it but steered it wide of Grant's goal.
Jay Tabb tried an adventurous lob which Grant caught whilst David McNamee made a great run up the right wing.
Things were getting farcical, passing the ball on the ground was getting harder and harder and any chance of a decent football match was virtually nil.
In the 24th minute,one Sheffield Wednesday player went injured. Chants of "He's gonna swim in a minute" came from the City end.
The next chants were "There's Only One Ricky Hatton" with a bit of Floyd Merryweather abuse. Then came the sucker punch. Whilst the treatment continued,referee Graham Laws spoke to the fourth official and and both managers.
He then blew his whistle and told the players to come off the pitch. Both teams applauded their fans with Iain Dowie also coming over.
Then there was an announcement saying the game was abandoned and we headed for home.
This was City first abandoned league game since March 1972 when the home game with Sheffield United was called off. City did have a friendly at Germuden abandoned at half-time in July 2004 due to a thunderstorm.