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
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.
