Matchday Memories: On This Day 2015 – See Mogga’s Men Owe O’Brien Who Unsettles United!

CCFPAs (the late) Ken Brown & Tony Mowbray

On this day (11th April) in 2015 the Sky Blues had been under the management of Tony Mowbray since March.

Tony had replaced former Sky Blue player, then gaffer (and CCFPA member) Steven Pressley who was sacked the previous February (22nd).

Neil McFarlane and Dave Hockaday had been caretakers. The Sky Blues had also returned from their Sixfields’ exile the previous September. After this fixture there would only be four more league games left and Mogga’s Men were looking over their shoulder so needed the win that they got.

Today’s victims were Colchester United and the win was the narrowest possible coming in the 35th minute of the first half from the Sky Blues dynamic midfielder and captain Jim O’Brien (a fairly recent CCFPA recruit)

Jim O’Brien in the Sky Blue

There were only 8,933 in the Ricoh to see the win, including 504 supporting the Essex side. The victory gave the Sky Blues the ‘double’ over the Us having beaten them in Colchester, also by a lone goal, this time scored by Gary Madine (on loan from Sheffield Wednesday) in the 73rd minute of the game.

The highlights of the game on this day (courtesy of former CCFPA committee member Dean Nelson) can be seen by clicking on the image below:-

Tony’s CCFC side that day comprised (CCFPA members underlined):-

Lee Burge, Jordan Willis, Chris Stokes, Matthew Pennington, Reda Johnson, Adam Barton (sub. Aaron Phillips -72), John Fleck, Gavin Ward, Nick Proschwitz (sub. James Maddison -67, Frank Nouble and Jim O’Brien (c) (sub. Sanmi Odelesi -77)

Unused subs: Aaron Martin, Conor Thomas, Simeon Jackson and Reice Charles-Cook (gk)

Aaron Phillips is the son of 1987 F.A.Cup winner and CCFPA member David Phillips.

Jacob Murphy in the Sky Blue

Tony Humes‘ U’s side turned out as follows:-

Sam Walker, Alex Wynter (sub. Matthew Briggs -67), Tom Eastman, Gavin Massey, George Moncur, Bongani Khumalo, Jacob Murphy, Alex Gilbey (c), Richard Brindley, Tom Lapslie (sub. Sammie Scmodics -67) and Chris Porter (sub. Rhys Healey -76)  Unused subs: Macauley Bonne, Dion Sembele-Ferris, Jamie Harvey and Chris Lewington (gk)   Referee:- David Webb

Colchester had a loanee Jacob Murphy in their side prior to Jacob also coming to play for us on loan.

CCFC 2014-15

The Sky Blues finished the League One season in seventeenth with United two places and three points behind, but both safe. Notts County, Leyton Orient, Crawley Town and Yeovil went down that season.

Bristol City (Champs), MK Dons (second) and Preston North End (third -but via the playoffs) were promoted.

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