Matchday Memories: On This Day 1990 – See Sillett’s Slick Sky Blues Torment The Toffeemen
Sky Blue Speedie
On this day (29th August) in 1990 CCFC’s ‘gaffer’ was still Sky Blues 1987 F.A.Cup winning hero John Sillett (whom all Sky Blues fans still mourn after his death three years ago). City’s Division One campaign this season had started off with a 2-0 defeat at Manchester United‘s Old Trafford despite having plenty of play during the game. In tonight’s midweek first home game of the season, City’s quality play got its just desserts as Everton fell victim to a 3-1 defeat by the Sky Blues. Toffees ‘keeper Neville Southall was still in the team despite staging a sit-in protest during half-time at the Toffee’s opener and he was unable to compensate for a dodgy defensive performance from the Merseysiders who crumbled against a lively Sky Blue attack.
Kevin in his playing days
David Speedie grabbed City’s first goal just after the quarter hour seizing on to a dreadful short back pass to Southall by Andy Hinchcliffe. On twenty minutes the Sky Blues added to that soft goal with a sweet volley from live-wire Kevin Gallacher and the home side went in at half-time 2-0 up.
Tony in the Sky Blue
Though Pat Nevin pulled one back for the Toffees ten minutes into the second period, the Sky Blues would not be denied and young midfielder Tony Dobson scored his first ever Sky Blue goal with twenty minutes to go with a shot from the edge of the box (leaving Neville Southall helpless) to give the home side a comprehensive 3-1 victory over the Blue team from Merseyside!
Thanks to former CCFPA committee member Dean Nelson you can watch some match highlights by clicking on the link or image below:-
John Sillett CCFC gaffer
Sillett’s Sky Blues turned out with the following team (all subsequently became CCFPA members):-
Steve Ogrizovic, Brian Borrows, Paul Edwards, Lloyd McGrath, Brian Kilcline, Trevor Peake, Kevin Gallacher, Tony Dobson, David Speedie, Kevin Drinkell and David Smith (sub. Howard Clark -85)
Colin Harvey‘s Everton put out the following XI:-
Neville Southall, Neil McDonald (sub. Kevin Ratcliffe- 78), Andy Hinchcliffe, Martin Keown, Dave Watson, Mike Milligan, Ray Atteveld (sub. Norman Whiteside -73), John Ebbrell, Graeme Sharp, Mike Newell and Pat Nevin Referee:- John Moules (Erith, Kent)
Terry in the Sky Blue
Results soon deteriorated and ‘Snoz’ was sacked in November with City hovering over the relegation zone. Player-manager Terry Butcher took over the Highfield Road hot seat. On his watch. in early December. the Sky Blues travelled to Goodison for the return game which Everton shaded by the only goal of the game scored by Stuart McCall in the 75th minute.
The Sky Blues season bumbled on and although the Sky Blues got to the Rumbelows Cup Quarter Final and made the Fourth Round of the F.A.Cup their final league position in Division One was sixteenth place safety ten points better off than relegated Sunderland in nineteenth and twenty better than bottom club Derby County.
CCFC 1990-91 under John Sillett
Even though they had had one point deducted Arsenal took the title easily by a seven point margin from Liverpool. Today’s opponents Everton were comfortably above the mid point of the table and finished ninth.
Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images.
