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Matchday Memories: On This Day 1985 – Mackay’s Men Make Milk Cup Progress At Chester

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CCFC Manager Don Mackay

On this day (25th September) in 1985 the Sky Blues, under manager (and now CCFPA member) Don Mackay were looking to get their season up and running. In Division One games to date they had managed only one win and a couple of draws in their nine games so far. Therefore a second round first leg League (Milk) Cup tie against lower league Chester might restore winning ways! The City fans amongst the small 4,836 crowd in Chester certainly hoped so! They got their wish as the Sky Blues ran out winners by the odd goal in three over the Fourth Division side.

Sky Blue Terry Gibson

Lowly Chester with four straight wins behind them certainly matched all that City could muster, particularly in the goal-less first half. The deadlock was broken in the 53rd minute when two diminutive Sky Blues (both now Association members) combined to give the Sky Blues the lead, Terry Gibson heading in from a Micky Gynn cross!   Chester then put the frighteners on City four minutes later forcing Lloyd McGrath to bring down the home team’s Stuart Rimmer who picked himself up to score the equaliser with a twice taken penalty (below).Image

Dave Bowman in the Sky Blue

The Sky Blues salvation came with a thirty yard bender and dipper from another CCFPA member now David Bowman which beat Chester’s ‘keeper John Butcher all ends up for winner sending the Sky Blues into the Highfield Road second leg with some confidence!

The two teams lined up as follows:-
Sky Blues. (We are delighted to say all of them later became CCFPA members)!
Steve Ogrizovic, Brian Borrows, Greg Downs, David Bowman, Brian Kilcline (sub. Kenny Hibbitt), Trevor Peake, Micky Adams, Lloyd McGrath, Dave Bennett, Terry Gibson and Micky Gynn
‘Benno’, of course is a long time esteemed CCFPA committee member!
 
Chester (managed by Harry McNally)
John Butcher, David Glenn, Martin Lane, Andy Holden, Wakeley Gage, Bobby Coy, John Kelly, Milton Graham, Stuart Rimmer, Peter Houghton and Gary Bennett   Referee:- T.Mills
 
Martin Lane went on to sign for the Sky Blues in January 1987 for £25k but played only three league games for us (plus some games on loan at Wrexham) in two years before returning to Chester in 1989.
 
In the second leg of the tie at Highfield Road on 9th October the Sky Blues had a field day beating Chester 7-2 (for a 9-3 aggregate win) and (the late) ‘Big Cyrille’ Regis equalled the then league Cup record by nabbing FIVE! City went out in the third round, however, losing 4-3 to West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns in a replay after a goalless draw at Highfield Road!Image
 
In the league the Sky Blues finished in eighteenth spot. Don Mackay had resigned on 12th April after a 5-0 thrashing at Liverpool‘s Anfield and was replaced by City’s late, great, former ‘iron man’ centre-half 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 City on 29 and West Bromwich Albion 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 (& Dean Nelson) for sourcing the images.

 

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September 25, 2024 · Tagged with

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