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.