Matchday Memories: On This Day 1993 – See Sky Blues Throw Away Last Day Leeds Win

Sky Blues Peter in the 1990s

On this day (8th May) in 1993, in their last game of the 1992-93 Premier League season, the Sky Blues faced Leeds United at Highfield Road hoping to round off a fair to middling season with a win. The two teams had also drawn 2-2 at Elland Road, Leeds back in October. However, the City were troubled having lost every one of their last three games against Manchester United (h) 0-1, Liverpool (a) 0-4 and Chelsea (a) 1-2!

There were 19,571 fans at Highfield Road to watch the contest and they so very nearly saw a confidence boosting win. However, the Sky Blues threw the win away in the last five minutes, and could only draw three goals each despite the fact that United’s Chris Whyte was sent off (two yellows) with thirty minuted to go!! Chris would later have a brief loan spell with CCFC!

FTP in the Sky Blue

The Yorkshire team’s hero was Rod Wallace who grabbed himself a hat-trick and the Sky Blues star on the day was our ‘Bulawayo Bullet’ Peter Ndlovu who turned in his finest performance of the season scoring one and making two. Liverpool’s boss Graeme Souness was rumoured to be contemplating a bid for ‘Nuddy’.

The scoring went like this. John Williams gave the Sky Blues an early boost netting a header from a ‘Nuddy’ cross after five minutes but the advantage did not last long as Rod Wallace netted his first only a minute later.

Mick Quinn in the Sky Blue

Six minutes before the break ‘Sumo’ Mick Quinn grabbed the lead for the Sky Blues, once more made by Peter, to make them 2-1 up at half-time. ‘Nuddy’ then got his poacher’s goal seventeen minutes from time and it looked all over for United and that a comfortable 3-1 home win would ensue.

Sadly Rod Wallace had other ideas and two quick goals on 89 and ninety minutes destroyed the Sky Blues final day jubilation as the game finished in a three all draw and a pitch invasion by delighted United fans. Their final goal, deep into injury time, came from a disastrous back pass fumbled by the gaffer’s son (now CCFPA member) Jonathan Gould!

It wasn’t only City’s match-day joy that was destroyed since, immediately after the game, workmen began to demolish the beloved Highfield Road Spion Kop, so fans bade farewell to both Kop and season!

Thanks to our former CCFPA committee member Dean Nelson you can watch highlights from the game by clicking on the image below. Commentary is by Stuart Linnell (a BBC CWR regular at the Sky Blues home games in recent years):-

The Sky Blues Gouldfather ‘gaffer’

Jonathan Gould

The Sky Blues team that day, managed by CCFPA member and former Sky Blue sixties centre forward, Bobby Gould (including son Jonathan) comprised:-

Jonathan Gould; Brian Borrows; Phil Babb; Peter Atherton; Lloyd McGrath; David Rennie; Leigh Jenkinson (sub. Roy Wegerle -65); Lee Hurst; Mick Quinn; Peter Ndlovu and John Williams

Unused subs: Dave Busst and Steve Ogrizovic (gk)

Underlined players eventually went on to join this Association

‘Bussty’ has twice been a committee member of the Association

Howard Wilkinson‘s Leeds United put out the following side:-

Mark Beeney, Ray Wallace, Tony Dorigo, David Batty, Jon Newsome, Chris Whyte (s.o.-60), Carl Shutt (sub. David Rocastle -53), Rod Wallace, Lee Chapman, Steve Hodge and Mark Tinkler (sub. Dylan Kerr -87) Unused sub: John Lukic (gk)   Referee:- Kelvin Morton

There were three future Sky Blues on the Leeds books at this time not featuring today (two of them future Player-Managers). These two were Gordon Strachan (1995-2001) and Gary McAllister (2002-04) plus prolific striker Noel Whelan (1995-2000). Noel and Gordon are now Association members.

CCFC 1992-93

The Sky Blues finished in a relatively (for them) comfortable fifteenth position in the Premier League, five places and three points above the drop zone. Leeds United failed to win away all season and finished seventeenth three places (but only two points) above the drop. The relegated trio were Crystal Palace, Middlesbrough and, on the bottom, Nottingham Forest. 

Manchester United were fully ten points clear at the top from City’s local rivals Aston Villa.

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