Season as it happened - August

After a summer of speculation over his future, Gary McSheffrey scores the winning goal on the opening day of the season as Coventry City beat Sunderland 2-1.

'Players like Gary McSheffrey are at a premium, so I think that's why Birmingham have pursued him for so long,' says manager Micky Adams after the game.

'We're not going to replace him. You never say never in this game, because all players have got their valuation.

'He is not going anywhere at this moment.'

Summer signings Andy Marshall (free from Millwall), David McNamee (£100,000 from Livingston), Chris Birchall (£300,000 from Port Vale) and Elliott Ward (£1m from West Ham) make their debuts in the Sunderland game.

Defeats at Southampton and Cardiff follow and ahead of the televised local derby with Leicester City, McSheffrey is sold to Birmingham for a fee that the Sky Blues claim is in the region of £4m.

Adams looks to replace his star man with the signings of Kevin Kyle from Sunderland and Leon McKenzie from Norwich City.

Kyle shows up well in a hard-fought 1-0 win at Hull.

City's interest in the League Cup is already over after a 3-1 defeat at Football League returnees Hereford United.

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