Coventry's home and away soap opera

Gary McAllister was the star of a mixed season

Coventry City's season was one of stark contrasts - brilliant at home and abysmal away.

Their 12 victories at Highfield Road in the Premiership indicated title-winning form, but not a single win on their travels meant they failed to get out of the bottom half at any time during the season.

The record £6m pound signing of Robbie Keane was the catalyst for the first win of the campaign against Derby, but it was to be another month before City won again, beating West Ham 1-0.

An embarrassing Worthington Cup capitulation at the hands of eventual finalists Tranmere brought an early end to any thoughts of a run in that competition, but league form began to pick up.

Comfort

Successive victories in October over Newcastle and Watford lifted Coventry into the comfort of mid-table, and then came the triumph that all fans will remember the season by - 2-1 against Aston Villa.

Thrilling televised matches against Arsenal and Chelsea over Christmas earned The Sky Blues the tag of "The Entertainers", but a New Year slump, particularly away from home, punctured any hopes of a top ten finish.

Robbie Keane (left) and Moustapha Hadji

Dreams of a prolonged FA Cup run ended at the hands of Charlton in round five, when City surrendered a two-goal lead, and that defeat seemed to trigger their slide.

Some of the best football seen in recent times at Highfield Road enlivened the match against Sunderland, but four defeats followed and only back-to-back wins in March over Everton and Bradford prevented a survival struggle.

The form of the Moroccans Moustapha Hadji and Youssef Chippo mirrored the season - at times tremendous, at others erratic -0 particularly following the African Nations Cup in January.

The Player of the Year though, without dispute, was Gary McAllister. A best-ever tally of 13 goals - making him the club's top scorer - only tells part of the story.

He never missed a game during the season and, coupled with Carlton Palmer, was a match for most in midfield.