Matchday Memories: On This Day 1997 – See Strachan’s Sky Blues Share Spoils At Saints!
WGS in the Sky Blue
On this day (19th April) in 1997 Coventry City were now under the player-management of Gordon Strachan who had taken over from former boss (and now WGS‘s fellow CCFPA member) Ron Atkinson when he was moved ‘upstairs’ the previous November.
There were only three Premier League games after this to save City’s top level skin. WGS started himself on the bench and his team were two goals down to their fellow strugglers at Southampton before he decided to come on to play. His arrival on the pitch coincided with/ inspired another fightback, and by close of play the two goal deficit had been pulled back and a 2-2 draw was salvaged.
There were 15,251 at the Dell to watch the contest and the home fans among them were pleased enough for the first hour as the Saints dominated and City’s defensive frailties were exposed. First, the Saints striker Mike Evans scored a diving header three minutes before the half hour to give the home team a one goal half-time advantage, then two minutes into the second half their score was doubled with a scrappy finish by Egil Ostenstadt.
Noel Whelan in the Sky Blue
Nuddy in the Sky Blue
After 62 minutes the Sky Blues Zimbabwean international (our ‘Bulawayo Bullet‘ and CCFPA’s 300th member) Peter Ndlovu took a hand and netted chasing a poor back pass, followed in 74 minutes by an equalising short range header from Sky Blue forward Noel Whelan finishing off a Strachan cross.
After ‘Nuddy’ and ‘Snowy’ had made their mark the Sky Blues looked like world beaters and could even have snatched the win. As it was the unlikely point won, it could be argued, made the difference between Premier League safety and disgrace in the final reckoning.
Thanks to CCFPA’s former committee member Dean Nelson you can watch the goal highlights by clicking on the image below:-
Strachan’s Sky Blues turned out the following players:-
Steve Ogrizovic, Paul Telfer, Brian Borrows, Richard Shaw, Paul D. Williams, David Burrows (sub. Gordon Strachan -59), Noel Whelan, Gary McAllister, Dion Dublin, Darren Huckerby (sub. Kevin Richardson -59) and Peter Ndlovu
We are delighted to say that, apart from Kevin, the Sky Blues manager and all this team later went on to join this Association! Good to see both Oggy and Noel back in Coventry at the CBS Arena taking part in our Legends Day 2023 reunion celebration this time last year!
Graeme Souness‘ Saints fielded the following team of players:-
Maik Taylor, Ulrich van Gobbel, Francis Benali, Jim Magilton, Jason Dodd, Claus Lundekvam, Matt Oakley, Eyal Berkovic (sub. Alan Neilson -76), Egil Ostenstad, Mickey Evans, Robbie Slater and Alan Neilsen Referee:- P.Jones
CCFC 1996-97
In their final three matches the Sky Blues achieved a home draw with the Arsenal and lost 2-1 at Highfield Road to Derby County appearing then to be doomed, but miraculously they rose from the relegation flames on the last day with an emotional 2-1 win at White Hart Lane against ‘Spurs. They therefore stayed up in seventeenth (along with Southampton) a point ahead of relegated Sunderland and two above nineteenth placed Middlesbrough in a devastating day for North east clubs – though Newcastle United were top flight runners up, seven points behind champions Manchester United. Bottom club Nottingham Forest also were sent down.
Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images.
