
Manchester City were chasing European football in their final game of the 2004/05 Premier League season and needed to beat Middlesbrough at home to leapfrog them into seventh and into the final UEFA Cup spot.
With City chasing a winning goal and the scores 1-1 approaching stoppage time, City manager Stuart Pearce made the bizarre decision to stick his goalkeeper, David James, up front, substituting off Claudio Reyna for second-choice 'keeper Nicky Weaver.