LEGGY'S NIGHT
A good night enjoyed by Leggy and a far better than expected crowd. The official attendance wasn't announced but with Upper and Lower Grandstand full and the Family Stand around half full, I thought that amounted to more than the "over 5,500" quoted on the tannoy.

This was a benefit game for Andy Legg who has been good for the game and the game has been good to him. Playing until almost 40 with 7 permanent clubs behind him, his best time in football and his most iconic status was achieved with City.

Here for 5 years starting with bad times — relegation to the dungeon - and the best of times culminating with his final City appearance in that Championship-making play-off final win over QPR. Recent successful battles with cancer saw him awarded this benefit game with a
donation going to local charity, Latch.

Pre-game ticket sales were poor but nobody buys an advance ticket for a benefit game. Car parking was free and it was full but with The Echo as reliable as ever informing us we could pay at the turnstiles, we arrived to find several queues 100 yards+ long to get to the various ticket portakabins snaking out into Sloper Road and onto the road. Kick-off had to be delayed by 15 minutes to 8pm. Only at City, I tell you. The second-half was cut-short by the same time as we'd all seen enough by then and there was a party at Giovanni's for the players.. Only at City, I tell you.

Inside, the bars and catering kiosks were closed. The club missed out there. Thankfully, nobody chanted "we want beer" and started smashing on the shutters although I had a brief go.

Little point in reporting the game but those with a thirst to know, there were about 40-50 players used.

The only members of City's squad who didn't take to the park were Neil Ardley, Jason Koumas, Paul Parry, Martyn Margetson, Nicky Fish, Jon Kift, Anthony Taylor and the on-loan Danny Parslow and Byron Anthony but also appearing were youth players Scott Allison, Curtis McDonald, Jamal Easter, Joe Jacobson and also physio Sean Connolly.

Legg's X1 had a few missing, a couple of guests (most notably Robbie Savage but also Big Neville Southall, Ray Houghton and Dave Watson). Managed by Alan Cork "I've never had a bad game managing at this club, have I?", Those who did play included Gareth Ainsworth, Dave Bennett, Jason Bowen, Carl Dale, Earnie, Jeff Eckhardt, Mike Ford, Leo Fortune-West, Jason Fowler, Jimmy Gilligan, Cohen Griffith, Steve Jenkins, Graham Kavanagh, Lee Kendall (as an outfield player), Kevin Ratcliffe, Christian Roberts, Damon Searle, Peter Thorne, Mark Walton, Gareth Whalley and Scott Young. I may miss have missed a few more.

The first-half hour, Leggy's team were determined to put on a show. Neil Alexander had to save from Kav, Earnie was trying but it was generally a knockabout, none too serious. Once that was once and a whole raft of substitutions took place, the game turned in the current City side's favour. NSUNGU scored, ironically by turning Leggy inside out before beating Big Nev from close range. Leo made Neil Alexander save by sending a header where he meant it to go - how unusual?

The second half with mostly "retired" rather than current players for Leggy's team and younger players for City became a little more one-sided. Goals were added by Phil Mulryne (a free-kick), Jamal Easter and a very sharp-looking Andrea Ferretti. I'd love to see Ferretti given a chance before the season concludes. In between Easter's and Ferretti's goals, roly-poly ref Keith Cooper awarded a penalty to Leggy's team just to give them a shot just after Leggy went off, Carl Dale sent a good effort past Allison.

There were more than a few laughs. On the pitch, Neil Alexander dribbling around Earnie was entertaining. Some of the antics were too. Bigger laughs came from pitchside interviews conducted with several ex-players and Robbie Savage. Most of Legg's players wore different shirt numbers to those on the list which had Ali announce many of them incorrectly but it was all part of the fun. Good of Ali to play "I fought the law and the law won" for City fans who went to Wolves.

I can't get enthused about these games although I'm always there. A decent night for those who went, a great night for Leggy.

The Cost of Being A City Fan:
Ticket: £10
Prog: £ 2
Car Park: Free
Travel: £ 3

Total for game: £15

Total for season-to-date: £2,712