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.

Matchday Memories: On This Day 1991 – See Sky Blues ‘Bulawayo Bullet’ Vex The Villa

Peter Ndlovu in the Sky Blue

On this Day (28th Sept) in 1991 the Sky Blues played host to ‘old rivals’ Aston Villa at Highfield Road and kept up their recent good home sequence against the Villa with a 1-0 win in front of 17,831 fans.  Sky Blue hero (the late) Cyrille Regis had returned to Highfield Road but this time in a Villa shirt. Future Sky Blues (now CCFPA member) Steve Staunton and Kevin Richardson were also in the Villa team that day and Steve Froggatt (also now an Association member) was also on their roster but not in the match-day squad, as was ex Sky Blues goalie (the late) Les Sealey.

Terry in the Sky Blue

CCFC gaffer Terry Butcher, later (in January 1992) to be sacked and replaced by assistant Don Howe, must have hung on to the memory of this highlight of another largely disappointing season as the club finished in nineteenth, one place and only two points above the drop zone. Villa had a good Premier League season and finished seventh!

Though injury-hit, the Sky Blues ‘Bulawayo Bullet’ Peter Ndlovu (the Association’s 300th recruit) stunned the Villa defence with a dazzling, teasing run as he danced through the opposition to send a left foot shot past Nigel Spink in the Villa goal five minutes before the break.

Cyrille hurdles Oggy

Cyrille got little change out of Sky Blue centre back (and now fellow CCFPA member) Andy Pearce. The Villa’s second half siege of Oggy’s goal came to nought and the Sky Blues fans went home pleased with the Midlands’ bragging rights they had gained by the win.

Villa did win the return 2-0 on the last day of the season as Sky Blue fans bit their nails for another last day of the season survival success thanks to results elsewhere.

You can see Nuddy’s goal thanks to former CCFPA committee member Dean Nelson by clicking on the image below:-

The opposing teams that day comprised:-

The Sky Blues (All are now CCFPA members apart from Paul F.):

Steve Ogrizovic, Brian Borrows, Paul Edwards (sub. Dean Emerson), Peter Billing, Andy Pearce, Peter Atherton, Lloyd McGrath, Micky Gynn, Paul Furlong, Kevin Gallacher and Peter Ndlovu

Aston Villa:

Nigel Spink, Dariusz Kubicki, Steve Staunton, Shaun Teale, Paul McGrath, Kevin Richardson, Dwight Yorke, Kent Neilson, the late Cyrille Regis, Gary Penrice and Paul Mortimer (sub. Gordon Cowans)

As said earlier, Steve, Kevin and ‘Big’ Cyrille (prior to his death) all became Association members too.

CCFC 1991-92

For the record, Leeds United were the 1991-92 Division One Champions four points clear of runners up Manchester United.  The teams beneath the Sky Blues and therefore relegated were, in declining order, Luton Town, Notts. County and, at the very bottom, West Ham United.

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

Members News: Carlton’s Our Saturday ‘Special’ For Sheff. Wed. Game!

Carlton in the Sky Blue

The Association is delighted to announce that Sky Blues star from the late 90’s Carlton Palmer will be our ‘special guest’ at the Sky Blues upcoming Championship game against another former club Sheffield Wednesday, at the CBS Arena next Saturday. He was last here performing a similar role at last February’s 4-1 Sky Blue F.A.Cup win over the Owls. He is pictured then below right with CCFPA chairman Billy Bell and fellow Association member Clinton Morrison. Mark Robins men could well do with a repeat result this season!

The former England player (18 full caps) made 35 appearances scoring one goal for CCFC over two seasons (1999-2001).

Carlton in Sky Blue action

Carlton will do a tour of the lounges and undertake some Q&As with his fellow ex Sky Blue CCFPA member Brian ‘Harry’ Roberts (CCFC’s club host), he may well also do a half-time pitch-side interview, then after the match you’ll be able to catch him on stage in the G-Casino in Lady Gs with CCFPA’s Billy Bell.

Born in Rowley Regis in 1965 Carlton started off his league career from an apprentice with West Bromwich Albion where he played 138 games netting five times between 1984-89 before joining the Owls for £750k in February 1989. There he became a fixture clocking up 264 games and 18 goals until moving across Yorkshire to join Leeds United for £2.6m in June 1994. At Elland Road he joined up with future City players Gordon Strachan, Gary McAllister and Noel Whelan (both Noel and Gordon are CCFPA members now) and ended up with 133 appearances and seven goals.

Games for both Southampton (1997) and Nottingham Forest (1999) followed before he found himself at Highfield Road, signed for £500k in September 1999. Whilst with the Sky Blues Carlton also had loan spells, twice back at Sheffield Wednesday in 2001 for 22 games and also at Watford (5 games).

Finally transferred from CCFC to Stockport County (November 2001) on a free the defenders skills were utilised for a further 48 appearances and five goals before Carlton finally hung up his English League boots after a lone game at Mansfield Town in July 2005. He also ended up as player-manager at both clubs sandwiching a short spell with Dublin City.

Carlton in Sky Blue action with Robbie Keane

After leaving Field Mill late in the 2005 season Carlton has since concentrated on media work though he also also managed a game for Staveley Miners Welfare in a brief return to playing the game in 2013 and managed non-league Grantham Town from April-November 2021.

Oggy in the Press Box

We look forward to meeting you again next week, Carlton and hope you enjoy your evening with us as the Sky Blues attempt to beat the Owls!

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images

Matchday Memories: On This Day 1985 – Mackay’s Men Bash The Baggies (Ex Sky Blue Steve Sent Off)!

Micky in the Sky Blue

Steve Hunt in the Sky Blue

Current CCFPA President Kirk Stephens was back in the City side after injury and popular former Sky Blue Steve Hunt (a  Association recruit) returned to Coventry for the first time in the West Brom midfield but certainly had an unhappy time and went on to ‘blot his copy book’! The Sky Blues really took the Baggies apart after they conceded a seventeenth minute penalty when Baggies debutant Mickey Thomas handled in the box. Future Sky Blue ‘gaffer’ (and now CCFPA member) Micky Adams put the penalty away with aplomb and the 1-0 scoreline remained up to half-time.

Hunt seemed on edge on his first return to the club he had served so well, being lucky not to have been initially cautioned by referee Mr Dimblebee for a rash tackle on the Sky Blues Brian Borrows (also now a CCFPA member). However, the referee was not so sympathetic later when Steve kicked out at (now CCFPA committee member) Dave Bennett and was rightly was sent-off!

Terry in the Sky Blue

Peaky in 1987

The game was put beyond the Baggies reach in the second half as two goals finished them off. First, the Sky Blues diminutive striker  Terry Gibson popped one in just two minutes after the break. Then, ten minutes later CCFC’s elegant defender Trevor Peake (and now Terry’s fellow CCFPA member) applied the coup-de-grace, the Sky Blues fans among the 10,270 crowd went home happy and the Baggies went home with their tail between their legs!

Don Mackay at CCFC

Steve Ogrizovic, Brian Borrows, Greg Downs, David Bowman, Kirk Stephens, Trevor Peake, Micky Adams (sub. Kenny Hibbitt), Lloyd McGrath, the late Cyrille Regis, Terry Gibson and Dave Bennett

We are delighted to report that all members of this team later went on to join CCFPA!

Johnny Giles‘ West Brom put out the following side:-

Tony Godden, Jimmy Nicholl, Derek Statham, Steve Hunt, Martyn Bennett, Ally Robertson, Carl Valentine, Imre Varadi, Steve MacKenzie (sub. Tony Grealish), Mickey Thomas and Garth Crooks.         Referee:- M.Dimblebee

 

Ex Sky Blue Paul Dyson and future Sky Blue Carlton Palmer (both now CCFPA members) were also with the Baggies at this time.

 

CCFC 1985-86

West Brom had a horrible season finishing plumb bottom of Division One at the end of the season and only won four games all season (three at home). They did manage to play out a goalless draw with the Sky Blues at the Hawthorns in March as one of their dozen draws. The Sky Blues finished the season in seventeenth spot after a pretty nondescript campaign. Don Mackay had resigned on 12th April after a 5-0 thrashing at Liverpool‘s Anfield and was replaced by former ‘iron man’ centre-half (the fairly recently passed away) George Curtis for the last three games.

 

Again, living on their nerves right to the end, two wins in their last three games secured survival. Their 43 points won compared to 41 for the relegated Ipswich Town, Birmingham on 29 points and W.B.A. bottom on only 24 points.

 

Liverpool won the Division One Championship with 88 points with city rivals Everton in runners up place two points behind.

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