Matchday Memories: On This Day 1995 – See Sky Blues Humble Hammers In Big Ron’s Debut!
Ron salutes the Sky Blue faithful
Despite City’s first win (at Crystal Palace) in the previous twelve games Phil Neal had been sacked. On this day (18th February) in 1995 new Sky Blue gaffer ‘Big Ron’ Atkinson (now a CCFPA member) got off to a perfect Highfield Road start with a 2-0 Premiership victory over West Ham United. This gave the Sky Blues a double over the London club as they had beaten them 1-0 at the Boleyn at the end of November thanks to a 58th minute header from defender Dave Busst (now a CCFPA committee member and CCFC’s Head of Community)! Though he was not in the Hammers’ team on this day former Sky Blue Les Sealey (since, sadly, passed away) was at their club.
Mike Marsh
The Hammers were seen off by a goal in each half from CCFPA’s 300th member Peter Ndlovu (25 mins) and his fellow Association member Mike Marsh (67 mins., who made Nuddy’s goal) in front of 17,563 fans, around 5,000 more than hitherto, as ‘Big Ron’ was given a standing ovation on arrival pitch-side (above right).
Sky Blue Kevin Richardson
New £300k Sky Blue signing Kevin Richardson, making his debut, was an instant success and the two excellent strikes start to ease the club’s relegation worries. Our scorer Mike Marsh had been a Hammer in 1994 moving in December to the Sky Blues and had played against us in the November game!
To see Big Ron’s triumphal Highfield Road entry, match highlights and the goals scored by Mike and the ‘Bulawayo Bullet’ (courtesy of our former CCFPA committee member Dean Nelson) just click on the link or picture below:-
Peter Ndlovu
City’s team that day (CCFPA members underlined) was:-
Steve Ogrizovic, Nick Pickering, Steve Morgan, Kevin Richardson, Brian Borrows, David Rennie, Sean Flynn, Paul Cook, Dion Dublin, Mike Marsh and Peter Ndlovu.
Harry Redknapp‘s Hammers team lined up as follows:-
CCFC 1994-95
