Matchday Memories: On This Day 1994 – See Sky Blues Successful Sting At Stamford Bridge!
Phil Neal, Coventry City Manager
On this day (4th May) in 1994, in the Sky Blues penultimate Premiership game of the season, the Sky Blues visited Stamford Bridge with both City and Chelsea in a comfortable position in the table.
The two sides had shared a 1-1 draw back at Highfield Road back in September when ‘Cov.Kid’ former CCFC No.9 (and now CCFPA member) Bobby Gould had been ‘gaffer’ and CCFC defender Steve Morgan got our equalising goal on 49 minutes.
Since Bobby’s resignation in late October Phil Neal had been in charge and, under his management, it was the away team that fashioned the win.
Peter Ndlovu in the Sky Blue
In front of a very poor crowd of only 8,923 the Sky Blues went in at half time leading 2-1 following a delicious turn and dink from Peter Ndlovu (yet another ‘Goal of the Month’ candidate) on 32 minutes and a couple of minutes later CCFPA member Steve Morgan once more scored against the Pensioners from a stunning but deflected 25 yard free kick!
Steve in 1993
Chelsea did pull one back from Tony Cascarino just before half-time after the Sky Blues ‘keeper (Bobby’s son) Jonathan Gould came and missed a cross. However, arguably, with half an eye on their Wembley appointment the following week the home team did not find the resources to penetrate the Sky Blues’ defence in the second half
Highlights from the goals in the game (courtesy of former CCFPA committee member Dean Nelson) can be seen by clicking on the image below.
On this day 1994 Chelsea 1 @Coventry_City 2 ,city goals from Peter Ndlovu and Steve Morgan pic.twitter.com/hXaEmpc59z
— Deano's Sky Blues memories (@deanocity3) May 4, 2018
Phil Neal‘s Sky Blues that day comprised (All now CCFPA members apart from Phil and David):-
Jonathan Gould, Brian Borrows, Steve Morgan, Julian Darby, Phil Babb, Peter Atherton, Willie Boland, David Rennie, Peter Ndlovu, Sean Flynn and Leigh Jenkinson.
Unused subs: Ally Pickering, Mick Quinn and Steve Ogrizovic (gk)
Chelsea put out the following side:-
Dmitriy Kharine, Steve Clarke, Frank Sinclair, David Hopkin (sub. Mal Donaghy), Erland Johnsen, Michael Dubery, Craig Burley, Eddie Newton, Tony Cascarino, Robert Fleck and Darren Barnard Unused subs: Nigel Spackman and Kevin Hitchcock (gk) Referee:- Jim Borrett
CCFC 1993-94
The Sky Blues banked the away win and were then unbeaten in six going into their final game four days later at Old Trafford against the confirmed Premier League Champions Manchester United (who finished eight points clear of Lancashire rivals Blackburn Rovers).
In the end, Coventry City finished eleventh and Chelsea fourteenth in the Premier League.
Swindon Town went down well bottom ten points behind also relegated Oldham Athletic and a dozen points behind Sheffield United who were the third team to suffer the drop.
Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images.
