Gary McAllister’s £3m move to Coventry City in the summer of 1996 was supposed to represent the Sky Blues’ transformation into a club capable of attracting top players to Highfield Road under the media-friendly management of Ron Atkinson.
The Leeds playmaker was one of the Premier League’s higher-profile performers but from the moment his new side were hammered 7-2 in a pre-season friendly by Benfica, McAllister’s City career was one of unfulfilled promise.
He missed the FA Cup run of 1997/98 with a serious injury and it was only in his final season with the club that he showed on a consistent basis the quality that had made him a club record signing.
His time as manager at Highfield Road was equally frustrating for fans.
With his hands tied by the financial situation at the club, McAllister was forced to raid the bargain basement on numerous occasions as a revolving door of loan signings and free agents pitched up for a handful of appearances in a City shirt.
Share this article
Related Articles
