Purse established an effective centre-back partnership with Michael Johnson in the 1999–2000 season, making 41 starts in league and cup competitions for the "Blues". He played at the Millennium Stadium in the 2001 League Cup Final, and scored a 90th-minute penalty to take the game into extra time. He also converted his penalty in the shoot-out, which was won by Liverpool 5–4. With four goals in 49 appearances in the 2000–01 season, Purse won the vote to be named as the club's player of the season. This represented a significant turnaround for a young defender who was barracked by City supporters at the start of the campaign.