Viorel Moldovan

For someone who played very few games for Coventry City the Romanian striker Viorel Moldovan will be forever remembered by a generation of Coventry City fans who were at Villa Park in February 1998 and saw the feisty forward score the goal which ended sixty years of hurt at the famous stadium.

The Romanian international was signed by Coventry from Grasshoppers of Zurich on Christmas Eve 1997 for a club record £3.25 million after manager Gordon Strachan had watched him play three times for his country. He had already scored 11 goals in 19 internationals plus 77 goals in 103 games for Grasshoppers of Zurich and his previous club Neuchatel Xamax. His arrival at Coventry coincided with the club's purple patch in early 1998 and competition for places was keen. Dion Dublin and Darren Huckerby were so motivated by the arrival of the man from Transylvania that both were called into England squads by then manager Glenn Hoddle.

Moldovan started only seven games and scored 2 goals but he will forever be remembered as the man who ended the 62-year old Villa Park hoodoo when he scored the winning goal after coming off the bench in the FA Cup 5th round tie for City’s first ever win at the ground of their big rivals. In the sixth round replay at Bramall Lane however he was guilty of missing a golden chance to win the game and his appearances afterwards were brief. His lack of activity at Highfield Road did not affect his international career and he was a key member of the Romanian squad along with Dan Petrescu and Georghe Hagi. He scored twice during France '98, against Colombia and a vital goal against England before Romania lost to Croatia in the last sixteen. His excellent World Cup boosted his value and City pocketed £4 million when he was sold to Fenerbahce in July 1998. Moldovan, who scored 25 goals in 70 internationals for his country, had two successful seasons with the Turkish club before joining French club Nantes, where he spent four seasons punctuated by a loan spell in the United Arab Emirates with Al Wahda.

In 2004 he joined Swiss club Servette but within months the club had gone bankrupt and Moldovan had not been paid. He returned to Romania and played one season for Poli AEK Timisoara and then one season for Rapid Bucharest before hanging up his boots in 2007. Viorel won 70 caps for his country and scored 25 goals. Since retiring he has been the sporting director of FC Unirea a top division side in Romania.