Members News: ‘Happy 47th Birthday’ To Nineties Sky Blue Forward Andy Ducros!

Sky Blue Andy Ducros

It falls to CCFPA to wish one of our younger recruits, former young Sky Blue forward Andrew Ducros, a very ‘Happy 47th Birthday’ today!

Andy is one of those footballers who, after a brief taste of top flight football, has then plied his trade in the lower leagues. He started his professional career with CCFC, then a top flight club, but this proved to be his only taste of senior football! This was perhaps due to his diminutive stature being a little over 5’4″ in height, so he keeps the distinction of being probably one of the smallest ever players in the Premier League!

Born in Evesham,  on 16th September 1977, Andy was a product of the Sky Blues’ youth system and was given his first chance, off the bench, by Sky Blue ‘gaffer’ ‘Big Ron’ Atkinson (now a fellow CCFPA member) on the first day of the 1996-97 season in the Sky Blues’ disappointing Premier League opener.  Andy’s CCFC debut, on 17th August 1996, saw the Sky Blues lose 3-0 at the Ricoh to Nottingham Forest. His full debut four days later, partnering Dion Dublin (another fellow CCFPA member now)  in the Sky Blues’ attack, went a little better as City drew 1-1 at West Ham United.

Andy Ducros in Sky Blue action

Three more appearances off the bench followed in the next three games but Andy was not called upon again for first team duties until the following season (1997-98), when Gordon Strachan had taken over the managerial reins, but the young striker only got one start and a couple of appearances from the bench that season.

By the time Andy moved on to near neighbours Nuneaton Borough in 1999 Andy had pulled on the Sky Blue first team shirt only nine times in the League and had not yet managed to find the net. With the Borough, Andy found better luck and clocked up nine goals in his 36 outings there before joining Kidderminster Harriers in 2000. He did reasonably well with the Harriers netting four goals in 57 games between 2000 and 2003 when he transferred to Burton Albion.

The Borough must still have valued the attacking midfielder as he spent parts of 2002 and 2003 back on loan at Nuneaton whilst with the Carpetmen and got one goal in another ten outings with City’s near neighbours.

Sky Blue Andy in action

Four years with the Brewers saw Andy complete 142 games with Burton (scoring a dozen goals) before he was released from his contract in June 2007 allowing him to move on to another Midland outfit Solihull Moors where he spent a little over two seasons before shifting again for the 2009-10 season to Redditch United. On 2nd February 2010 Andy moved once more to sign for Zamaretto League Premier Division side Evesham United which appears to be his final port of call before hanging up his boots.

Andy, we look forward to entertaining you at an Association event and/or Sky Blues home game in Coventry during the current season! In the meantime, have a great day celebrating your birthday today.

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images.