Tony Thorpe’s scoring record for Bristol City compares favourably with most of the strikers to have worn the red shirt over the past 25 years.
But it is fair to say that John Ward’s £1 million signing from Fulham in 1998 needed to overcome a lengthy settling in period at Ashton Gate before producing his best form on a consistent basis.
City spent big on strikers that summer after winning promotion to what is now the Championship, also paying £1.2 million for Gillingham’s Ade Akinbiyi and £400,000 to recruit Soren Andersen from Danish club Aalborg.
With Steve Torpey and Colin Cramb still on the books from the previous campaign, Ward suddenly had five forwards competing for two places and Thorpe found himself on the bench for much of his first season.
Akinbiyi started most of the games, netting 23 goals, partnered by first Andersen, then briefly Cramb and finally Torpey for 20 of the last 23 games.
When selected, Thorpe had to be content largely with a midfield role after Benny Lennartsson replaced Ward as City boss. And there was little sign of progress when Tony Pulis took charge at the start of the 1999-2000 campaign.
The little striker had been loaned out to Reading and his former club Luton Town twice, with his City career apparently heading nowhere.
But when Pulis departed in January 2000, Thorpe’s fortunes finally changed for the better under the caretaker-management trio of Leroy Rosenior, Tony Fawthrop and Dave Burnside.
They teamed him up with first Torpey and then Peter Beadle, the former Bristol Rovers centre-forward signed from Notts County for £200,000 the previous October, with youngster Damian Spencer providing cover.
Tony soon repaid the renewed faith in him by netting eight times in 11 games. He was about to hit another hot streak when City entertained today’s opponents Stoke City for a Second Division game on Tuesday March 28 2000.
The caretaker-bosses set the team up in a 4-4-2 formation, with Steve Phillips in goal, protected by a back-line of Kevin Amankwaah, Joe Burnell, Shaun Taylor and Mickey Bell.
Scott Murray and Aaron Brown occupied the wing roles, with Paul Holland and Simon Clist paired in central midfield and teenager Spencer alongside Thorpe up front.
Stoke, under manager Gudjon Thordarson, who had replaced Gary Megson following an autumn takeover of the club by a group of Icelandic businessmen, were pushing for the play-offs, while City were anchored in mid-table.
But the home side made a bright start, Brown latching onto Spencer’s pass only to see his shot blocked by a defender.
City then took a tenth minute lead, Thorpe and Murray combining to produce an incisive move down the right. It ended with Murray crossing and Thorpe’s run into the box being timed perfectly to head past Gavin Ward.
Stoke took time to get into their stride, but there was a warning sign on 25 minutes when Kyle Lightbourne let fly from distance and saw his effort skim the crossbar.
Brown might have made it 2-0, stumbling at the vital moment when Thorpe’s pass played him in on goal.
But almost immediately the visitors were level, Peter Thorne wriggling between defenders to cross low for Lightbourne to net from close range.
Phillips had to stand his ground to deflect Thorne’s first time shot as Stoke grew in confidence, but could do nothing to prevent them taking the lead five minutes before the break.
City failed to deal with a long ball into their box and Thorne nodded down for classy midfielder Graham Kavanagh to steer a shot beyond the diving goalkeeper.
Home fans feared the worst, particularly when Stoke began the second half on the front foot and the inspirational Taylor, returning from a long-term injury, was forced to limp off on 50 minutes.
His replacement was Matt Hill. But it was the introduction of Brian Tinnion for Clist eight minutes later that proved a turning point.
Fit again after an injury setback, ‘Tins’ was soon spraying trademark passes to the feet of team-mates. Soon after his arrival, Murray’s driven cross was just beyond the lunging Spencer.
Thorne might have settled any doubts about the outcome when heading wide in acres of space at the far post before the game swung dramatically in the space of 30 seconds.
Stoke thought they had clinched the points when substitute Arnar Gunnlaugsson, who had replaced former City player Richard Dryden on 75 minutes, showed what appeared great skill to hold off defenders and beat Phillips.
But referee Barry Knight spotted the illegal use of an arm to gain an advantage and, with the Potters still fuming over the decision, Brown’s pass sent Thorpe away to round Ward and tuck the equaliser into an unguarded net.
The game ended 2-2. Tony went on to finish as City’s top scorer that season with 17 goals in all competitions, three of which helped the club to the Auto Windscreen Shield final in April.
Their opponents for one of the last games played at the old Wembley Stadium were Stoke, who ran out 2-1 winners in front of a 75,000 crowd, Spencer deflecting in a Holland header for the Robins’ goal.
City ended the season ninth in Division Two, two places below Bristol Rovers, while Stoke lost to Gillingham, who went on to win promotion, in the play-off semi-finals, having finished sixth.
Thorpe’s best City days were still ahead. The following season, with Danny Wilson at the helm, he scored 23 goals and added 18 more in the 2001-02 campaign before rejoining Luton Town on a permanent basis.
Bristol City: Phillips; Amankwaah, Burnell, Taylor (Hill 50 mins), Bell; Murray, Holland, Clist (Tinnion 58 mins), Brown; Spencer, Thorpe.
Subs not used: Meechan, Hewlett, Burns.
Stoke City: Ward; Hansson, Mohan, Dryden (Gunnlaughsson 75 mins), Clarke; O’Connor, Kavanagh, Gunnarsson, Gudjonsson; Lightbourne, Thorne.
Subs not used: Petty, Muggleton, Iwelumo, Melton.
Referee: Barry Knight (Orpington, Kent)
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