Matchday Memories: On This Day 1982 – A Magic Melrose Treble & Two ‘Thommos’ Trouble the Toffees!

Dave Sexton, CCFC’s gaffer

Les Sealey fronts the programme

On this day (25th September) in 1982 the Sky Blues were facing their seventh Division One fixture of the season under Dave Sexton. Though his team had achieved two narrow 1-0 home victories since the season began (against Southampton on the opening day and Sunderland) CCFC’s away performances had been poor, losing at Swansea, Ipswich Town and Birmingham. The 2-0 defeat to the Arsenal last time they had a game at Highfield Road confirmed there was a Sky Blues goal drought (only four goals in their first six league games). Thankfully this was about to change today and Everton were the victims in front of a Highfield Road crowd of only 9,297!

Jim in the Sky Blue 1982

Steve in the Sky Blue brown!

One change factor was that our new Scottish forward signing from Leicester City, Jim Melrose was making his home debut. Jim had arrived at Highfield Road as a result of a swap deal with the Foxes that took young Tommy English (now Jim’s fellow CCFPA member) to Filbert Street. Jim immediately endeared himself to Sky Blues home fans by knocking in a home debut hat-trick (21, 53 and 67 minutes)! City were dominant both in the air (thanks to our forceful centre-forward Garry Thompson) and on the deck (thanks to the trickery of Steve Hunt, just returned from the USA). Both now are also Association members.

The City had roared into a 4-1 lead by the 67th minute, Steve notching our other goal on fifty minutes.  Future Sky Blue assistant manager (later caretaker) Adrian Heath got the Toffees’ first goal, an equaliser, on 26 minutes. Their second, the last goal of the game, with just over twenty minutes left came from Everton’s Andy King.

Keith in the Sky Blue

Garry in the Sky Blue

The Evertonians also included influential future Sky Blue midfielder Kevin Richardson in their eleven.

When substitute Keith Thompson replaced Steve near the end of the game he joined brother Garry in the Sky Blues forward line, the only time they played together in the Sky Blue first team and the first time brothers had played together for CCFC since the 1920s! Keith also later joined CCFPA.

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

The late Les Sealey, Danny Thomas, Brian Roberts, Steve Jacobs, Paul Dyson, Gary Gillespie, Steve Whitton, Gerry Francis, Jim Melrose, Garry Thompson and Steve Hunt (sub. Keith Thompson)

Howard Kendall‘s Toffeemen lined up as follows:-

Neville Southall, Kevin Richardson, Michael Walsh, Mark Higgins, Billy Wright, Steve McMahon, Trevor Ross (sub. Alan Irvine), Adrian Heath, Graeme Sharp, Andy King and Kevin Sheedy        Referee:- J.Key

CCFC 1982-83

The Toffees got a bit of revenge at Goodison the following May beating the Sky Blues by the only goal of the game scored on 76 minutes by Graeme Sharp.  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 (taken by Manchester City, Swansea and bottom club Brighton).

Everton were very comfortable in seventh spot, though they won’t have been happy that the other team in their home city, Liverpool were crowned as clear cut Division One Champions in 1982-83 (a full eleven points clear of runners up Watford)!

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

Matchday Memories: On This Day 1976 – Milne’s Men Topped By Terry’s Terrific Strike!

Terry Yorath fronts the programme

On this day (25th September) in 1976 Sky Blue manager Gordon Milne (now an Association member) chose a team to take on local rivals Birmingham City in the club’s seventh Division One game of the new season. Results had not been too much to write home about with only two league wins and a draw to show so far and the Sky Blue hoping to pull up from their place below mid table. Already buoyed by the return after a pre-season injury of Tommy Hutchison, they gained the ultimate fillip from today’s game in front of 26,371 patrons at Highfield Road gaining a late winner over the Boys in Blue.

Mick in the Sky Blue

Alan Green in the Sky Blue

In truth the visitors, fresh from a win at Villa Park, gave the Sky Blues a tough game. Home nerves were settled with 23 minutes gone when Mick Ferguson got the better of Brum’s Joe Gallagher to set up a goal for our diminutive forward Alan Green (both City players are CCFPA members now).

Terry in the Sky Blue

Athough the Blues’ gritty defender Kenny Burns managed to pull things level less than ten minutes later the visitors were eventually beaten in the second period with just four minutes left with a ‘special’ from Sky Blues captain Terry Yorath (also a CCFPA member). The Welsh international produced a thirty yard stunner which brought the house down!

The two teams lined up as follows:-

Sky Blue Manager Gordon

Gordon Milne‘s Sky Blues (CCFPA members underlined):-

Jim Blyth, Mick Coop, Bobby McDonald, Terry Yorath, Jimmy Holmes, Alan Dugdale, John Beck, Alan Green (sub. Donal Murphy), Mick Ferguson, Barry Powell and Tommy Hutchison

 

Barry in the Sky Blue

Birmingham City (managed by Willie Bell)

David Latchford, Malcolm Page, Arthur Styles, Terry Hibbitt, Joe Gallagher, Tony Want, Jimmy Calderwood, Trevor Francis, Kenny Burns, Gary Jones and John Connolly       Referee:- D.Lloyd

 

The Brummagems got their revenge later in the season, in early March, by beating the Sky Blues 3-1 at City’s future home-in-exile St Andrews! Despite a Barry Powell 50th minute gem of an equaliser City eventually succumbed to an even poorer team!

 

In Division One, three draws in the last four games (including a controversial, delayed kick off, last day 2-2 home draw with fellow strugglers Bristol City) was just enough to give them survival in nineteenth place with Sunderland, Stoke City and bottom team Tottenham Hotspur taking the drop. Birmingham City were safe enough in thirteenth spot.

CCFC 1976-77

At the top it was Liverpool‘s title secured by a single point from Manchester City.

 

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

 

Matchday Memories: On This Day 1971 – Willie Wins It For Sky Blues v Spurs On Saint’s Debut

Ian St John & Noel Cantwell

On this day (25th September) in 1971, renowned former Reds’ striker Ian St John (sadly passed away in 2021) made his Sky Blues debut.  He had signed for Noel Cantwell‘s men in August and eventually made twenty appearances in his sole Sky Blue season netting three times this season.

He didn’t score today in City’s 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at Highfield Road in their tenth Division One game of the season. Instead it was flame haired young Sky Blue star Willie Carr who netted the Sky Blue goal just eight minutes from time. Ian went on to play for Tranmere Rovers the following season before hanging up his boots and eventually settling into a longstanding and successful  media career as one half of the very popular  ‘Saint & Greavsie‘ ITV football presentation show. Sadly Jimmy Greaves has also rejoined his erstwhile footballing and media chum in the Great TV Studio in the sky!

match action

Willie in the Sky Blue

Sky Blue Quintin

CCFC had started their campaign stutteringly and were below mid table with only one win in their first nine league games. The 26,517 Highfield Road crowd were understandably not confident but watched a much improved Sky Blue performance with our Scottish winger (and now CCFPA member) Quintin ‘Cutty’ Young the star of the show!

We are pleased to report that the whole team (except the fairly recently passed away Chris Chilton) later went on to join this Association!

The Sky Blues’ season bumbled along with the Sky Blues below half-way and with worries about further deterioration. Eventually Noel Cantwell was sacked on 11th March and remainder of the season was seen out by caretaker manager Bob Dennison.

CCFC 1971-72

By season’s end, however, the Sky Blues did enough to remain three places and eight points above the relegated duo (Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield Town) finishing in eighteenth spot. Tottenham Hotspur finished sixth.

In a tight race, Cloughie’s Derby County took the title just a point ahead of all three challengers Leeds United, Liverpool and Manchester City.

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

 

Members News: Ex Sky Blue Striker Shaun Is 37 Today. ‘Many Happy Returns’!!

Shaun Miller in the Sky Blue

It was only in February earlier last year that we welcomed former Sky Blue striker during season 2014-15 Shaun Miller as CCFPA’s latest signing! Now there is another reason to uncork the champagne as Shaun, born in Alsager on 25th September 1987 is celebrating his 37th Birthday today.  Likely still playing, first since January 2023 with Northern Premier League club Nantwich Town and now since January 2023 with NPL North side Kidsgrove Athletic, Shaun pulled on the Sky Blues first team shirt thirteen times (though only starting once) and netted twice for CCFC during his time at the club.

Shaun started out as a young striker under the youth system of League One Crewe Alexandra signing as a professional in July 2006. He had an early loan spell with NPL Premier League side Witton Albion to gain experience scoring once in four games before becoming a more regular first teamer with his parent club. Over six seasons with the Alex (albeit relegated to League Two half way through) Shaun netted 43 times in 179 appearances.

Shaun in Sky Blue action

Then Shaun moved back up to League One signing for Sheffield United for the 2012-13 season staying for a couple of seasons and knocking in nine goals in 35 appearances as well as three in eight on loan at Shrewsbury Town prior to joining the Sky Blues. The Sky Blues were then a League One side managed by ex player (and now Shaun’s fellow CCFPA member) Steven Pressley when they signed Shaun on 16th July 2014.

Things started quite well as Shaun netted twice in the early part of the season, both producing a good impact from off the bench in losing games first in the 83rd minute in a 1-0 defeat to Cardiff City in the League Cup on the 13th August and then in the 75th minute of the league game against Bristol City on the 18th October when the table toppers beat us 3-1. Interestingly both games were ostensibly home fixtures the League Cup tie being at the back end of our period of exile at Northampton Town‘s Sixfields stadium, the league game coming after our Ricoh return!

Shaun celebrates scoring a Sky Blue goal

Shaun’s full debut, his only start, came at Oldham Athletic in a 4-1 drubbing by the ‘Latics on 21st October 2014. Shaun featured just once more (off the bench) for the Sky Blues in January 2015 and, after Tony Mowbray took over the struggling City side from ‘Elvis’ in March, Shaun finished the last month of the season for six games on loan at York City (he had also got five games out on loan at Crawley Town earlier in the season).

Shaun then moved around the lower divisions rarely staying a full two seasons. Post Sky Blues he first moved on to  League Two club Morecambe in August 2015 (sixteen goals in 43 games), then in July 2016 to their L2 rivals Carlisle United (fourteen goals in 71 games) before returning to first club Crewe Alexandra (initially on loan) from January 2018.

Shaun Miller (Nantwich Town)

Shaun netted three in 33 games for the Gresty Road outfit before taking a full season loan for 2019-20 back at Morecambe where he netted twice in his 21 appearances. Staying in League Two in September 2020 Shaun signed for newly relegated Bolton Wanderers leaving at the end of his one year contract with the Trotters with four goals in his 24 outings to join Northern Premier League side Nantwich Town. Now with Kidsgrove he has firmly entered the veteran stage of his career.

Shaun has now exceeded his 500th professional game and has netted more than a century of goals so far so is a reliable if not always prolific marksman! We hope he can join us for a Sky Blue game at the CBS and/or a CCFPA event before too long when his playing commitments allow!

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