It is now 23 years since Coventry City stunned the footballing world by forking out £6million for Robbie Keane from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
It was a then British record transfer fee for a teenager - with Keane just 19-years-old when he swapped Molineux for Highfield Road.
'Keano' is fondly remembered by the Sky Blue Army despite only being with the club for one season for his role in 'the entertainers’ of 1998/99 .
Keane made one of the most successful debuts ever seen at Coventry when he scored a brace in the club’s 2-0 win over Derby County, which he followed up with strikes against Sunderland, Tottenham, Newcastle and Watford as the club hit good form in September and October.
The pinnacle of Keane’s Coventry City career came in the club’s 2-1 home win over local rivals Aston Villa, when Keane scored one and set up another as Gordon Strachan’s side saw off the month of November in style.
A run of three goals in three games during the Christmas/New Year period of 1999 against Arsenal, Chelsea and Wimbledon put the Sky Blues in a good position but Keane’s form dovetailed with the club's.
A run of just two goals in 15 games toward the back-end of the season, coupled with City's disastrous ten defeats in 15, led to a modest 14th-placed finish.
Keane’s 12 goals in 34 appearances helped avoid relegation but regret still lingers among City supporters who feel that if Coventry’s dreadful away record, which yielded no wins all season, was improved, the club’s consistent home form would have seen Coventry City push for a top-six place.
As it happens, 14th place wasn’t enough to meet Keane’s lofty ambitions and he was moved on to Italian giants Inter Milan for £13m, which is still the record amount City has ever received for a player.
As Keane’s move to the San Siro was revealed, then Sky Blues boss Gordon Strachan described the transfer as a “body blow to the club”.
It certainly was, as the divisive and unpopular £6.5m signing of Craig Bellamy from Norwich City failed to replace the huge void left by the departure of Keane, and the Sky Blues were subsequently relegated after 34 straight years in the top flight.
Despite being a one-season wonder, Robbie Keane is still regarded as one of the finest players to have ever pulled on a Sky Blue shirt.
