Matchday Memories: On This Day 1997 – Worthy Worthing & Strachan’s Sky Blues Settle For Cup Stalemate

Eoin in Sky Blue action

On this day (25th January) in 1997 non league Woking came to Highfield Road for a Third Round F.A. Cup tie. 

Gordon Strachan had been in charge of the Sky Blues since the previous November when (now fellow CCFPA member) Ron Atkinson was moved ‘upstairs’.

After a goal-less first half, a crowd of 16,011 (including around 5,000 ‘Cards’ fans) at Highfield Road saw the non-leaguers dominate the Premier League side.

An upset seemed likely as the sluggish Sky Blues struggled even after the ‘gaffer’ brought himself on as sub.

Noel gets himself surrounded!

‘Snowy’ Whelan causing havoc in Woking’s defence

Though recent Association recruit Eoin Jess put the Sky Blues in front after 75 minutes with a low shot, the non leaguers did not give up and often looked more like the top flight team than we did! After flooding men forward Woking were rewarded a minute from full time when Steve Thompson stuck out a toe to score his side’s equaliser to send it to a replay at Kingfield Stadium the following week.

Hucks gets tangled up

Wouldn’t you know it but the Sky Blues allowed Woking to become the first non-leaguers to prevent defeat on a Premier League ground!

Even then, in the replay, City nearly slipped on the potential banana-skin again though they did eventually prevail 2-1 early in February 1997 with goals from Noel Whelan (eleven minutes) and a Steve Foster own goal after 78 minutes (after their Scott Steele had equalised just after the half-hour).

The Sky Blues in the first tie were represented by (CCFPA members underlined):-

Gordon the Gaffer

Steve Ogrizovic, Paul Telfer, Richard Shaw, Kevin Richardson, Brian Borrows, Paul Williams, Eion Jess (sub. Peter Ndlovu), Gary McAllister, Darren Huckerby (sub. Gordon Strachan), Noel Whelan and Marcus Hall.

The plucky Woking side lined up:-

Lawrence Batty, Terry Howard, Robin Taylor, Steve Foster, Kevan Brown, Tom Jones, Steve Thompson, Shane Wye, Scott Steele, Junior Hunter (sub. Darran Hay) and Clive Walker        Referee:- Mike Riley

In the fourth round we disposed of Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park by the odd goal in three but eventually went out 2-3 at Derby County in the Fifth Round.

CCFC 1996-97

In the league, a fabulous 2-1 Sky Blue win at White Hart Lane against ‘Spurs on the last day of the season was just enough to save our Premier League skin surviving in seventeenth spot only a point clear of the drop. The relegated trio was Sunderland (eighteenth), Middlesbrough (nineteenth with three points deducted) and bottom club Nottingham Forest.

It was Manchester United‘s year for the title seven points clear of the chasing pack (Newcastle United, Arsenal and Liverpool).

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