Matchday Memories: On This Day 1995 – See Sky Blue Five Scorers Crush Champs Blackburn
On this day (December 9th) in 1995 The Sky Blues, under Ron Atkinson (now a CCFPA member), were having a pretty torrid season with only one Premier League win to date.
However, on a snow bound Highfield Road in front of only 13,409 fans, they unexpectedly produced a shock result against last seasons top division champs, Blackburn Rovers. Both clubs were vying for the signature of future Sky Blue ‘gaffer’ Chris Coleman but the £3m price tag was too much for City and Rovers later got their man. Expectations were low as Rovers had smashed us 5-1 at Ewood Park back in September. The snowy conditions saw an orange ball used. City, in a bit of a shock, got full revenge in this league return scoring five without reply!
Only one side really turned up to play on the tricky pitch, and it was the Sky Blues! On loan Chris Whyte played out his league debut in a solid back three that neutralised any threat from Alan Shearer et al. Kenilworth lad and future Sky Blue loanee (2002) Tim Flowers was in the Rovers goal alongside future Sky Blue forward Tim Sherwood.
The away team put up only minimal resistance as the Sky Blues goals went in on a regular basis after Sky Blue defender David Busst opened the scoring five minutes before the break with a forceful header. Dave, now returned as a CCFPA committee member, is still with CCFC as their ‘Head of Community’.
The 1-0 half-time lead was quickly extended after the break as (now CCFPA member) Dion Dublin netted on the hour, then defender David Rennie got a header four minutes later. The Sky Blues Zimbabwean international Peter Ndlovu (CCFPA’s 300th member), who Rovers found unplayable, scored City’s fourth after 74 minutes after a mazy run and our final (fifth) goal of the day came from winger John Salako.
As can be seen from the comprehensive video below (courtesy former CCFPA committee member Dean Nelson) the champs were slaughtered!
Big Ron’s Boys that day comprised (Association members underlined):-
Steve Ogrizovic, Ally Pickering, Marcus Hall, David Busst, Chris Whyte, David Rennie, Paul Telfer, Kevin Richardson, Dion Dublin, Peter Ndlovu and John Salako
Blackburn Rovers (managed by Ray Harford) fielded the following (outplayed) side:-
Tim Flowers, Henning Berg, Graeme Le Saux, David Batty, Nicky Marker, Chris Sutton, Stuart Ripley, Tim Sherwood, Alan Shearer, Mike Newell (sub. Paul Warhurst) and Lars Bohinen (sub. Billy McKinley) Referee:- S.Dunn
After this success, what became our best win of the season, reality bit just a week later with a 4-1 defeat at the old foe Aston Villa the following week.
The Sky Blues survived another ‘squeaky bum’ last day staying up in sixteenth with the same points as fellow survivors Southampton and relegated Manchester City! The other relegated teams were Queen’s Park Rangers and bottom club Bolton Wanderers.
Blackburn Rovers finished comfortable in seventh position a full 21 points behind their Lancashire rivals Manchester United who took the title by four points from Newcastle United.
Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images.