Matchday Memories: On This Day 2010 – A Sky Blue Icelander & ‘Cov Kid’ Disappoint Donny

Aidy Boothroyd- Sky Blue ‘gaffer’

On this day (28th September) in 2010 the Sky Blues, managed by Aidy Boothroyd (until sacked and ‘assistant gaffer’ Andy Thorn took over in mid March) were nine games into their Championship season.  They grabbed their fourth win to date (all but one at the Ricoh) and all the points four minutes from time against Doncaster Rovers (managed by Sean O’Driscoll) at the Ricoh leaving them in eleventh spot. 

Star of the show was the Sky Blues young Icelandic international Aron Gunnarsson who scored one and made one for CCFC. He struck early in the second minute and after Billy Sharp had equalised for Donny just before the half-time whistle, Aron turned provider on 86 minutes srossing for ‘Cov.Kid’ Sky Blue striker Gary McSheffrey to head home the winner. Both players are now Association members! Their were 523 Donny fans in the 12,292 crowd.

Aron in the Sky Blue

Gary in the Sky Blue

Of the thirteen Sky Blues players that appeared on the pitch that day Keiren Westwood, Richard Keogh, Ben Turner, Richard Wood, Lee Carsley, Marlon King, Clive Platt and the two goalscorers all later joined CCFPA as well as Michael Doyle, Nathan Cameron and Carl Baker who remained on the City bench.

CCFC gaffer- Andy Thorn,

Having been briefly top of the table after their third game at the end of August and sixth by mid November the performances of the team that Aidy built gradually but substantially deteriorated from December onwards. From the New Year a league run of only one win in twelve did for Aidy and, as imtimated above, he was replaced by Chief Scout Andy Thorn in mid March as (initially) caretaker ‘gaffer’ to the end of the season. One of these games in the desperately poor rum was the return with Donny at the Keepmoat a week before Aidy’s departure, a dispiriting 1-1 away draw where a 23rd minute Sky Blue opener from (now CCFPA member) Freddy Eastwood was pegged back just a minute from the final whistle by James Hayter.

CCFC 2010-11

The team under Thorn ultimately ended up their 2010-11 season safe in a lowly eighteenth spot. Nevertheless, City were a full thirteen points clear of the relegated trio, Preston North End, Sheffield United and (bottom) Scunthorpe United. Donny managed 21st place just above the trap door albeit six points clear of the fall guys.

Queen’s Park Rangers (Champions) and Norwich City got the automatic promotion spots and were Premier League bound along with play-off victors, third placed Swansea City.

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

 

Matchday Memories: On This Day 2005 – Micky’s Men Hunt Down Hornets At Ricoh

This was the season when the Sky Blues played for the first time at their new stadium, The Ricoh Arena (after a slight delay to get the ground ready).  Consequently, after three successive away games in the Championship without a win (two draws and a 4-0 hammering at Burnley), jangled nerves for Sky Blues fans were settled on 20th August 2005 with a win by three clear goals against London club Queen’s Park Rangers. Four successive draws followed with, just four days previously at the Ricoh, a 2-0 defeat to Hull City.

Dele in celebratory mood

City’s fans and ‘gaffer’, former Sky Blue player (and now CCFPA member) Micky Adams were looking for something better against today’s opponents Watford! The visitors’ manager, Aidy Boothroyd, would later go onto manage CCFC.

Willo Flood in Sky Blue action

On this day (28th September) in 2005 the Sky Blue family, got their second Championship win of the season after eleven games beating the Hornets 3-1 at the Ricoh. It wasn’t all plain sailing though at a wet and windy Ricoh as the 16,982 crowd had to put up with a floodlight failure after a quarter of an hour!

By this time, however, the Sky Blues were a goal to the good with popular Sky Blue forward (and now CCFPA member) ‘Dele Adebola striking two minutes in.  In truth ‘Dele was gifted his goal thanks to a fumble by the Hornets loanee ‘keeper (from Man.Utd.) Ben Foster. When the lights were restored City took no time to double their score as Willo Flood produced a clinical strike with twenty minutes gone.

Doyler about to tackle

    

The BBC Sport contemporary match report with comments from both managers can be found here.

Sky Blue ‘Sheffers’

The Sky Blues team that day was (CCFPA members underlined):-

Stephen Bywater, Richard Duffy, Marcus Hall, Stephen Hughes, Richard Page, Andy Whing, Willo Flood (sub. Claus Bech Jorgensen -72), Michael Doyle, James Scowcroft, ‘Dele Adebola (sub. Andy Morrell -46) and Gary McSheffrey (sub. Andy Impey -90).

Unused subs. Paul Watson and Clayton Ince (gk)

Aidy Boothroyd- Sky Blue ‘gaffer’

Aidy Boothroyd’s Hornets lined up:-

Ben Foster, James Chambers, Jordan Stewart, Dominic Blizzard (sub. Gavin Mahon -46), Clark Carlisle, Lloyd Doyley, Joel Grant, Carl Fletcher, Trevor Benjamin (Gabriel Agbonlahor -46), Ashley Young and Anthony McNamee (sub. Paul Devlin -74)   Unused subs. Matthew Spring and Alec Chamberlain (gk)      Referee: Phil Joslin (Newark)

The well travelled former Sky Blue forward  Trevor Benjamin was in the Hornet’s side today and future Sky Blue forward Marlon King was also on their books at this time. Both are now CCFPA members!

CCFC 2005-06

The Sky Blues found the Hornets a different proposition in the return at Vicarage Road as they were tanned by four clear goals.

In fact the Hertfordshire side had a great season finishing in the Championship play offs in third position nine points adrift of the top two. However they won the Wembley playoff final to get themselves promoted along with Champions Reading on a massive 106 points, sixteen points clear of also promoted Sheffield United.  The Sky Blues missed out on the playoffs in eighth spot – not a bad season!  The relegated trio was Crewe Alexandra, Millwall and Brighton.

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

 

CCFPA News: Funeral Arrangements For Terry Butler (RIP) Announced.

Terry (left) & Greg meet

Earlier this month we reported the passing of Coventry City stalwart Mr Terry Butler on the morning of Tuesday 17th September following his long battle with cancer.

Now we have been informed of Terry’s funeral details which we pass on here. For those who wish to pay their respects in person Terry’s funeral will take place at Coventry Crematorium in Canley (CV4 7DF) on Monday 7th October at 12.45pm. This will be followed by his interrment at Lenton’s Lane Cemetery CV2 1AA at 14.30pm.

Terry worked for Coventry City Football Club for over 40 years as a steward and finished his time with the club as changing room steward retiring in 2007. He was given a great send-off by the club (reported on by the Coventry Telegraph here). In the past he met many famous international footballers including the late Bobby Charlton and George Best. Back in 2013 Terry received national notoriety as the so-called ‘Unluckiest Man in Britain’ because of the number of medical procedures, including six hip replacements- in total 34 operations in fifty years – he had had to endure from age 20 (see Coventry Telegraph report here)!

Terry was well known and liked by many City players at both Highfield Road and the Ricoh/ CBS Arena. The photo (above right) of Terry with our former player member and 1987 F.A.Cup hero Greg Downs was taken on his last visit to a Sky Blues game in October last year.

Terry in CCFPA tie (left) with our current and past Presidents (Billy Bell & Jim Brown) at an Association event back in 2013

Always a big supporter of CCFPA Terry will be sadly missed by all who knew him. Our thoughts continue with Terry’s family and friends.  Rest In Peace.

Matchday Memories: On This Day 1997 – No Goals At Ewood But Two Off & ‘Oggy’ Catches the ‘Iron Man’!

Steve in 1987

On this day (28th Sept) in 1997 the Sky Blues travelled to Ewood Park in the Carling Premiership to take on Blackburn Rovers and the goal-less draw they achieved ended a miserable run at the Lancashire club’s ground.

It was a memorable day involving three FPs who all later became CCFPA members. The Sky Blues’ clean sheet was kept by our club legend, goalkeeper Steve Ogrizovic, who in this game equalled the club’s league appearance record of 487 held by ‘Iron Man’ (the late) George Curtis. Additionally (now Association member) Gordon Strachan was the man in the Sky Blue hot seat that day.

Dion in the Sky Blue 1999

The game, watched by 19,086 fans, will actually be remembered more by most who watched it for the two red cards awarded that day.

CCFPA member Dion Dublin saw red in the 42nd minute following an elbow on future Sky Blue centre half Colin Hendry. Both teams were reduced to ten men after seventy minutes when the Rovers forward Jason Wilcox was sent to the dressing room after lashing out at a future Northern Ireland manager, one of the Sky Blues subs on the day, Michael O’Neill.

Gordon the Gaffer

Gordon Strachan‘s Sky Blues team that day (CCFPA members underlined) was:-

Steve Ogrizovic, Roland Nilsson, David Burrows, Trond-Egil Soltvedt, Gary Breen, Richard Shaw, Paul Telfer (sub. Michael O’Neill -46), Gary McAllister, Dion Dublin, Darren Huckerby (sub. Kyle Lightbourne -64) and Marcus Hall

Unused subs:- Trond-Egil Soltvedt, Adam Willis and Magnus Hedman (gk)

Roy Hodgson‘s Rovers XI comprised:-

Tim Flowers, Patrick Valery (sub. Damien Duff -56), Jeff Kenna, Tim Sherwood (c), Colin Hendry, Stephane Henchos, Kevin Gallacher, Gary Flitcroft, Chris Sutton, Martin Dahlin (sub. Lars Bohinen -75) and Jason Wilcox  Unused subs:- Tore Pedersen, Billy McKinley and Alan Fettis (gk)  Referee: Peter Jones (Loughborough)

There were plenty of Sky Blue connections with the Rovers squad at this time. Apart from Colin Hendry, Tim Sherwood and Kenilworth born Tim Flowers (as a loanee) would also later become Sky Blue players and (now CCFPA member) Kevin Gallacher had moved to Ewood from Highfield Road as had goalie John Filan who was not in this Blackburn team.

CCFC 1997-98

This result was the third in a sequence of four successive draws for the Sky Blues. City played the return with Blackburn Rovers in May, in their penultimate game of the season, and won 2-0 with a nineteenth minute penalty from Dion Dublin and a Sky Blue second four minutes after the half hour from Dutchman George Boateng (currently, of course, CCFC’s first team coach).

CCFC finished the 1997-98 Premiership season in a comfortable mid table position of eleventh whereas Rovers finished in sixth spot. Arsenal took the title this season by a single point from Manchester United. The relegated trio was Bolton Wanderers, Barnsley and (bottom) Crystal Palace.

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images.