Matchday Memories: On This Day 1995 – Sky Blues Newbies Outshine Gunners Debutants In Stalemate!
On this day (26th August) in 1995 the Sky Blues under manager ‘Big’ Ron Atkinson were three games into their Premier League season facing Arsenal at Highfield Road in front of a reasonable 20,081 crowd. To date they had lost 3-0 at Newcastle United‘s St James’ Park in the season’s opener but in midweek, last time out, had beaten Manchester City at home by the odd goal in three (with goals scored by Paul Telfer and Dion Dublin) greatly inspired by new Brazilian signing Isaias! All four mentioned are now Association members!
Popular Sky Blue fanzine of the time with Big Ron on the cover
The Gunners were expecting a good performance buoyed as they were by being able to unveil big new signings Dutchman Dennis Bergkamp and David Platt. In an entertaining, albeit goal-less game the Sky Blues own new boys outshone those of the visitors who were lucky to get a point as City were unable to put their chances away.
(Now CCFPA member) John Salako ran rings round the Gunners defence and set up a string of opportunities. Our mercurial Zimbabwean forward Peter Ndlovu (also now a CCFPA member) was a little profligate with his own chances being all too frequently denied by Gunners goalie David Seaman! He might have won City a penalty when blatantly pushed in the box by stalwart Gunners’ defender Tony Adams. Both sides had to be content with the point!
The graphic below (courtesy the 11v11 website) provides you with all the match details you should possibly need! The referee was Steve Dunn.
Of the fifteen members of the Sky Blues squad for the Gunners game only Kevin Richardson has yet to join this Association.
Sky Blue Noel Whelan
Oggy
In early February the following year the return game was played at Highbury with the same result, a stalemate, but this time both sides managed to score one goal within a minute of each other! First (now CCFPA member) Noel Whelan notched one with an arrogant chip on 23 minutes. This was almost immediately nullified by Dennis Bergkamp and the Sky Blues needed Steve Ogrizovic to pull off a magnificent second half penalty save from the Gunners’ Ian Wright to salvage a point!
CCFC 1995-96
At season’s end Arsenal had the better of matters finishing fifth well (nineteen points) behind champions Manchester United. Big Ron’s Sky Blues had to survive another nerve wracking last day and survived by the skin of their teeth thanks to another goal-less Highfield Road draw (against Leeds United). This game them a 16th place finish on the same points (but better goal difference) than both fellow survivor Southampton in 17th spot and relegated Manchester City in 18th. Also relegated five points beneath them were Queens Park Rangers and four beneath them bottom club Bolton Wanderers.
