Matchday Memories: On This Day 1982 – Sexton’s Sky Blues Debuts Three But Sink At St.Andrews

Keith in the Sky Blue

On this day (18th September) in 1982 the Sky Blues were still a Division One side and the late Dave Sexton was in the Sky Blues’ gaffer’s chair. Though his team had achieved two narrow 1-0 home victories since the season began (against Southampton on the opening day and Sunderland) they had also been beaten there last time out (by two clear goals) by Arsenal. CCFC’s away performances had been poor, losing at both Swansea and Ipswich Town.

Jim in the Sky Blue 1982

The defeat to the Gunners led Dave to decide that some team changes were necessary for today’s game at (City’s fairly recent landlords) Birmingham City. In came three debut boys, Keith Thompson (replacing his injured brother, Sky Blue favourite and now fellow CCFPA member Garry Thompson), our new forward signing from Leicester City Jim Melrose (also now an Association member) and midfielder Derek Hall. There was a modest crowd of 11,681 in St.Andrews with a fair sprinkling of Sky Blue supporters.

Jim Melrose, Kieth Thompson & Derek Hall

Match action

This trio of debutants took part in a fitful game with the Sky Blues appearing disjointed and the new boys struggling to make an impact against a poor Birmingham City side. Keith Thompson had a promising debut and he and Jim Melrose went onto have a reasonable Sky Blue career. Sadly, this was Derek Hall‘s sole Sky Blue appearance, and a losing one, as the Brummagem’s won 1-0 with a goal on the stroke of half time by Tony Evans. This gave our West Midlands rivals their first victory of the season!

Having joined CCFC as an apprentice, Derek was transferred to Torquay Athletic in summer 1984 and had successful spells there and subsequently with the likes of Swindon Town, Southend United, Halifax Town, Hereford United and Rochdale before dropping into non league football. He was last heard of (in 2009) in Australia having moved into coaching.

Dave Sexton, CCFC’s gaffer

Sexton’s Sky Blues that day comprised (CCFPA members underlined):-

The late Les Sealey, Peter Hormantschuk, Brian Roberts, Steve Jacobs, Paul Dyson, Gary Gillespie, Jim Melrose, Gerry Francis, Steve Whitton, Derek Hall and Keith Thompson.

Ron Saunders‘ Brummy XI lined up as follows:-

Jim Blyth, Dave Langan, Mark Dennis (sub. Carl Francis), Byron Stevenson, Noel Blake, Jim Hagan, Les Phillips, Tony Evans, Neil Whatmore, Alan Curbishley and Ian Handysides.

There were plenty of Sky Blues links with the St Andrews side at this time with former goalie (and now CCFPA member) Jim Blyth between their sticks and former Sky Blue Jim Hagan (also a member) in this team. Also at BCFC at this time was former Sky Blue forward (and now CCFPA member) Mick Ferguson.

Birmingham, unfortunately, did the double over the Sky Blues in 1982-83 repeating the damaging scoreline at Highfield Road in mid April with their Les Phillips notching the goal two minutes before the break in a woeful Sky Blue performance against a very poor team. This was the visitors first away win!

CCFC 1982-83

However, City just about managed to avoid relegation at the end of the season finishing in nineteenth, one point and one place above the drop. Birmingham City were two places and two points better off. A season not to remember very much for Sky Blues fans! Manchester City, Swansea and bottom club Brighton were the relegated sides whilst, at the top, Liverpool took the title by eleven points from runners up Watford.

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young (& Dean Nelson) for sourcing the images.

Members News: Former Sky Blue Midfielder Scores 48 Today. ‘Many Happy Returns’ Stephen!

CCFPA sends its best wishes and birtday greetings to our member, former Sky Blue midfielder Stephen Hughes. We wish him ‘a very happy birthday’ today! He was born in Reading on 18th September 1976 and therefore hits 48 today.

An England Under 21 International Stephen started as a youth player with the Arsenal in 1985 before graduating to the first team (and also gaining senior experience on loan at Fulham).  He moved from the Gooners to Everton in 2000 and then to Watford on a free the following season. The Sky Blues signed him in July 2004 from Charlton Athletic to where he had moved in 2003.  He became a Sky Blue ‘skipper’ during his time at CCFC and won our ‘Player of the Season‘ award in 2004-05. Stephen was released in close season 2008 and finished his first class career at Walsall.

Stephen Hughes in Sky Blue action

In his four years with the Sky Blues, in fairly challenging times for the Club (under five City managers), he played a total of 144 times scoring nine goals. His Sky Blues days comprise getting on for half of his 300 plus first class career total of appearances.

Stephen joined the Association in 2011 when our former committee member, the late Bob Bromage, caught up with him at the SERCO London Masters tournament where Stephen was playing for Arsenal, his first club. He has done a lot of work in the past as a media pundit for the Gunners’ ‘Arsenal Player‘

Have a great Birthday today Stephen!

How about coming back to see us at an Association function in the not too distant future Stephen, perhaps this season? 

Members News: Our ‘Saturday Special’ For Swans Game Is John Williams!

John in the Sky Blue

One of our favourite FPs (who happens to be one of the Club’s fastest ever players), John Williams is returning to see us very soon. Appropriately ‘The Flying Postman’ will be our ‘special guest’ once more at a Sky Blues fixture also involving one of his other previous clubs., Swansea City! The 56 year old TFP will be a welcome ‘Saturday special’ as Mark Robins men take on the Swans in a Championship fixture.

In past seasons John has been a pretty frequent visitor to the Ricoh/CBS, regularly playing his part each season as one of our ‘special guests’ on match days and attending reunion events like our grand annual reunions as he did at our last one Legends Days 2024 last May. He has also taken part in the Former Players’ Legends XI Charity games.

A Brummy John left his post office route for football with Cradley Town in 1990 and was quickly snapped up professionally the following year by our Welsh opponents next Saturday (then known as Swansea Town). He earned his nickname by winning the Rumbelows Sprint Challenge before the Football League Cup Final at Wembley in May 1992 claiming the £10,000 first prize. He beat, amongst others, Efan Ekoku and another former Sky Blue and fairly recent CCFPA recruit  Leigh Jenkinson finishing in a time of 11.49 seconds. Leigh was also at LD22!

The Flying Postman with Billy Bell on stage

His form at the Welsh club (11 goals in 39 league appearances) persuaded Sky Blue manager (and now fellow CCFPA member) Bobby Gould (who was also at LD22) to add him to the roster of his new signings and John promptly scored the first goal of the 1992-93 Premier League campaign after nine minutes against Middlesbrough in a 2-1 win!

A crowd favourite, though not quite as prolific as hoped, John was sent out on loan for periods at Notts. County, Stoke City and Swansea City before leaving Coventry for Wycombe Wanderers in September 1995 having scored eleven goals in 86 appearances in all competitions.

John Williams (‘The Flying Postman’ at LD24

After Wycombe John became something of a rolling stone appearing for the likes of Hereford United (1996-97); Walsall and Exeter City (1997-98);  Cardiff City (1998-99); York City (1999-00); Darlington (2000-01); Swansea City (again) (2001); Kidderminster Harriers (2003); Bath City (2004); Redditch United (2005); Evesham United; Weston-Super-Mare; Stourbridge; Willenhall Town (2007) and Boldmere St Michaels (2008).

After trials at Aris Salonika in Greece and Austria Vienna John finally hung up his boots at age 40 in 2009 with 83 goals from his 502 appearances overall!  Subsequently he has been (amongst other things) a football agent, a youth and community worker in his home city and has run his own promotions company, ‘Flying Postman Productions’ company which arranges Sportsman’s Dinners and the like in the region and the UK.

Sky Blue Brian Roberts (1979)

No doubt the popular ‘genial giant’ will get an exceedingly warm welcome as he tours the supporters lounges pre-match next Saturday with fellow ex Sky Blue CCFPA member, current long-time club host, Brian ‘Harry’ Roberts.

If he also gets to do a half-time pitch side interview both sets of fans are sure to give him a hearty round of applause. Post match new Association chairman Billy Bell will almost certainly take TFP down to Lady Gs in the Arena’s G-Casino for some more fun and games with (hopefully happy and victorious) City fans.

Oggy in the Press Box

If you really can’t get to the game you can always listen in to the wise words of another CCFPA member doing his regular stint with live BBC CWR commentary team, none other than CCFC’s legendary FA Cup winning ‘keeper from 1987, Steve Ogrizovic.

Other CCFC Former Players from our membership will also certainly be in attendance.

If you also pick up a copy of the club’s excellent match-day magazine PUSB you will find the regular contributions from former Association chairman Jim Brown and committee member Mike Young.

Matchday Memories: On This Day 2005 – CCFC’s CBJ Scores To Secure Seagulls Stalemate

Sky Blue Manager Micky

On this day (17th September) in 2005 the Sky Blues under former CCFC defender (and now CCFPA member) Micky Adams were well into their Championship season and had only secured one league win in their first eight games (though had lost only once too)! Today they travelled to the south coast to take on a team a couple of places lower than CCFC’s seventeenth spot with some hope of grabbing at least a draw at Brighton. That’s what they duly achieved, a 2-2 stalemate!

Stephen Hughes in Sky Blue action

There was a crowd of only 6,529 present at a sunny Withdean (a gate that would prove to be the lowest of the season). Missed chances and poor defending cost Micky’s men a victory they deserved and badly needed. Things began well for City when six minutes before half-time the Seagull’s defender Paul McShane turned a cross from (now CCFPA member) Stephen Hughes into the Brighton net to give City the advantage at the interval. It only took five minutes of the second period for a Brighton equaliser from Leon Knight.

However, the Sky Blues quickly replied a minute later with a neat header from now Association member and former CCFPA committee member Claus Bech Jorgensen.

CBJ in the Sky Blues away strip

City’s 2-1 lead only lasted eight minutes, sadly, before Sky Blues’ ‘keeper Stephen Bywater failed to deal with a curling cross and Andy Whing also failed to clear allowing sub. Colin Kazim-Richards to net the Seagull’s second equaliser, and 2-2 it stayed despite ‘Dele Adebola and James Scowcroft (both now CCFPA members) squandering chances – two points lost rather than a point gained!

The graphic below sourced by former CCFPA committee member Dean Nelson gives all the match facts and the BBC Sport’s contemporary match report which includes comments from both managers.

 

Dennis Wise in the Sky Blue

Early in February 2006 the Sky Blues did a better job at their new Ricoh home beating Brighton, who were in the relegation zone by then, by two clear goals both scored by Dennis Wise who was making a late career cameo for the Sky Blues at season’s end. The Seagulls slipped further and finished  bottom of the Championship. They were relegated along with Crewe Alexandra and Millwall. The Sky Blues end of season push with three wins in the last four games was not enough to get them anywhere near the play-off places and Micky’s men had to settle for eighth spot!