Matchday Memories: On This Day 2010 – Sky Blue Stalemate (Eastwood 1-1 North End)

CCFC Manager- Chris Coleman (with Ray Ranson)

On this day (17th April) in 2010 the Sky Blues, under Chris Coleman, were three matches from the end of their faltering Championship season. After getting back to the top ten with a purple patch of five wins out of six between 9th February and 6th March the Sky Blues had not won in eight and had lost their last three games without scoring slipping into seventeenth spot before today’s game at the Ricoh with Preston North End.

Sadly, the Sky Blues would not see a win in their last three either including today’s game when the North End grabbed a 1-1 draw. Though City’s striker  Freddie Eastwood gave us the encouragement of an eighteenth minute lead, sadly our defender (and Freddie’s fellow CCFPA member) Richard Wood gave away a 35th minute penalty. Preston’s Callum Davidson put away the spot kick past City ‘keeper (and CCFPA member) Keiren Westwood to equalise, and that’s how it stayed at both half-time and full time.

 

Not a good return for the 15,822 Ricoh faithful!

Freddie Celebrates

Richard Wood in Sky Blue action

Coleman’s CCFC that day lined up (CCFPA members underlined):-

Keiren Westwood, Stephen Wright, Martin Crainie, Leon Barnett, Richard Wood, Aron Gunnarsson, David Bell, Sammy Clingan, Freddie Eastwood (sub. Shaun Jeffers -90), Clinton Morrison and Michael McIndoe (sub. Carl Baker -74)

Unused subs:-  Callum Wilson, Jordan Clarke, Marcus Hall, Chris Hussey and Dimi Konstantopoulos (gk)

CCFC 2009-10

Matchday Memories: On This Day 2006 – See Sky Blues M69 Derby Finish Stalemated!

Manager Micky

On this day (17th April) in 2006 there was a bumper crowd of 26,672 at the Ricoh Arena to see the local M69 derby between Sky Blues (managed by former player Micky Adams) and Rob Kelly‘s Leicester City. The Sky Blues had a score to settle after the Foxes beat us 2-1 in Leicester the previous October, CCFPA member Gary McSheffrey getting our goal, the opener.

A Stern John goal gave CCFC a point as they battled out a 1-1 draw with the Foxes who probably needed the points more. All the scoring was over in the first eleven minutes after the visitors’ unmarked Richard Stearman had given the Foxes a very early lead after nine minutes with a left foot drive from the edge of the box. 

Stern in the Sky Blue

Stern’s eleventh minute equaliser, a typical poacher’s effort chasing a stray ball to net from close in, completed the scoring as the two protagonists retired honours even! The Sky Blues might have won it after the Foxes went down to ten men in the 69th minute after their defensive midfielder Patrick Kisnorbo was dismissed for a two-footed lunge on CCFC’s Andy Whing. Near the finish Sky Blue midfielder Dennis Wise also contrived to hit the bar which would have won it for the home team.

Sky Blue Andy Whing

Dennis Wise in the Sky Blue

Of the sixteen Sky Blues players on display (and unused on the bench) only five ‘keeper Marton, defenders Richard and Ady, midfielder Dennis and scorer Stern did not later go on to join CCFPA we are pleased to say! Stephen Hughes is a different player to the Sky Blue midfielder of 2004-08.

CCFC 2005-06

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

Matchday Memories: On This Day 1985 – Sky Blue ‘Benno’ Beats Magpies For Mackay’s Men

CCFC Manager Don Mackay

On this day (17th April) in 1985 Sky Blue manager Don Mackay (having taken over from Bobby Gould earlier in the season) took his team to St James Park to take on the Magpies in a Division One fixture only four days after losing 1-0 to Newcastle United‘s fellow North eastern side Sunderland at Roker Park. The single goal victory achieved today was some compensation given the parlous position the Sky Blues had in the League (21st). The two sides had fought out a 1-1 draw at Highfield Road back in mid October with Kenny Hibbitt getting a 75th minute equaliser to a Peter Beardsley penalty on the hour.

Benno in 1986

This rare win on Tyneside  was secured as early as the third minute when (now CCFPA committee member) Dave Bennett capitalised on a deflected Kenny Hibbitt shot to score. 

Jack Charlton‘s Magpies side were unimpressive but City still had to hang on to their lead like grim death to come out winners. This was their first victory in Newcastle since 1977 and very briefly calmed the relegation nerves for both club and its fans by moving CCFC up to twentieth place with nine to play. The referee was Mr. J.Lovat.

Both teams and further match details are shown on the graphic below:-

We are delighted to say that every member of Don’s team that day (as well as Don himself) later went on to join this Association, Sadly ‘Big Cyrille’ has since passed away and is deeply missed!

At the end of that Division One season, to their probable glee, the Toon Army’s neighbours Sunderland were relegated in 21st spot together with Norwich City (a full nine points but just one place above them) and bottom club Stoke City with only a paltry seventeen points in total!

The Sky Blues storming run of three straight wins at season’s end ensured they survived but only a point clear of the drop and they finished in eighteenth just above Queens Park Rangers on the same points. 

Liverpool took the title by a mile (thirteen points) from their close city rivals Everton.

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images (and to Dean Nelson for the graphic).

Matchday Memories: On This Day 1984 – Sky Blue Fergy (& Nicky) Finish Off Forest

Mick in the Sky Blue

On this Tuesday night (17th April) in 1984 the Sky Blues ‘gaffer’ was former player (now CCFPA member) Bobby Gould and the season was gradually deteriorating from a reasonably good first half of the campaign.

The previous Saturday, however, the Sky Blues had seen off Wolverhampton Wanderers by the odd goal in three at Highfield Road and this game was a chance to repeat the dose with Nottingham Forest as their opponents at the home of CCFC.

Their East Midland’s rivals, managed by the legendary Brian Clough, had well beaten us by 3-0 in the penultimate game of 1983, so revenge was sweet as another 2-1 victory was achieved this night.

Fergy flies through the air!

Nicky Platnauer in the Sky Blue

Mick Ferguson set up the win after only eight minutes with another header which helped the relegation fears subside.

There was no more scoring until, eleven minutes from time, Nicky Platnauer got the Sky Blues’ second of the evening.

Forest’s title hopes were all but finished though they pushed the City hard and five minutes before time the result was made a bit more doubtful when the Garibaldi Reds’ Colin Walsh scored from a cross by Steve Wigley.

The Sky Blues held out to see out the game and take the points with their best performance since Christmas.

Bobby Gould- Sky Blue Manager

Bobby’s Boys that night were:-

Perry Suckling, Ian Butterworth, Micky Adams, Gerry Daly, Sam Allardyce, Steve Jacobs, Ashley Grimes, Nicky Platnauer, Mick Ferguson, Terry Gibson (sub. Micky Gynn) and Dave Bennett.

Apart from Ashley, we are pleased to say that every man jack of this team (along with the gaffer) later joined this Association. Micky Adams later went on to manage the Sky Blues and ‘Big Sam’ (briefly) England. ‘Benno’ is a longtime CCFPA committee member. Good to see Ian (making his LD debut), Micky and ‘Benno’ grace this years Legends Day 2025 earlier this month.

Cloughie’s Nottingham Forest side that night was:-

Gary Mills (CCFC coach)

Hans van Breukelen, Viv Anderson, Kenny Swain, Chris Fairclough, Paul Hart, Ian Bowyer, Steve Wigley, Gary Mills, Peter Davenport, Steve Hodge and Colin Walsh                        

Referee:- T.Ward

Gary Mills was later (2002-04) first-team coach and reserve-team manager with the first division Sky Blues under ‘gaffer’ Gary McAllister and assistant (and now CCFPA member) Eric Black.

CCFC 1983-84

It took a 2-1 last ditch win at Highfield Road against Norwich City and other results going our way on the last day to ensure our Division One survival for another season as we finished nineteenth only two points ahead of relegated close Midland rivals Birmingham City.

Nottingham Forest had a great season finishing third whilst their local rivals Notts. County were also relegated and, in a Midland disaster, Wolves were bottom and also went down. Liverpool took the title by three points from Southampton.

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