Matchday Memories: On This Day 1995 – See Big Ron’s CCFC Lose Molineux Cup Tie & Oggy Off (Red Card)!
Today they were at Molineux for a League (Coca Cola) Cup fourth round tie against managerless Wolverhampton Wanderers showing a little more confidence in their cup form given that, in earlier rounds, they had disposed of Hull City over two legs (2-0 & 1-0) and come back from 2-0 down to beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 at Highfield Road in Round Three. Wolves had parted company with their ‘gaffer’ Graham Taylor a couple of weeks previously and would not appoint replacement Mark McGhee until mid December.
Jonathan Gould
However, 24,628 fans in Wolverhampton saw an injury hit Sky Blues team go out by the odd goal in three to the Division One club. The turning point came just after the half hour when the Sky Blues stalwart goalkeeper Steve Ogrizovic was red carded for handling outside the penalty area.
His replacement, Jonathan Gould (like ‘Oggy’, and also Jonathan’s dad Bobby, now a CCFPA member) found himself picking the ball out of his own net twice in two minutes (32 & 33) for a fiery baptism to the game! Jonathan, therefore, also became CCFC’s first ever official goalkeeping substitute (his last game for the club before moving to Bradford City the following year))!
Mark Venus when CCFC’s Technical Director 2015-16
First, future CCFC technical director and caretaker manager, Mark Venus scored for Wolves from the resulting free kick.
Then, another son of a famous dad (Sir Alex was in the stands watching him) Darren Ferguson grabbed the second. City found themselves two down at half time to a very average team in old gold.
Paul D Williams in the Sky Blue
At last, now CCFPA member, Paul Williams scored with a header on 67 minutes to give the Sky Blues some hope but the expected ten man Sky Blue surge never materialised and ‘Big Ron’ was forced to get used to the ending of his three year unbeaten run in the League Cup.
Thanks to former CCFPA committee member Dean Nelson you can watch ‘Oggy’ red carded and the rest of the action by clicking on the link or image below:-
Big Ron’s team that day was:-
Ron salutes the Sky Blue faithful
Steve Ogrizovic (s.o.31) (sub. Jonathan Gould -31), Ally Pickering (sub. Nii Lamptey -2), Marcus Hall, Kevin Richardson, Paul D. Williams, David Rennie, Paul Telfer, (Marques) Isaias (subbed for Oggy -31), Dion Dublin, Peter Ndlovu and Gordon Strachan.
We are pleased to say all except David and Kevin later went on to join CCFPA.
Wolves team lined up as follows:-
Mike Stowell, Mark Rankine, Andy Thompson, Darren Ferguson, Brian Law, Dean Richards, Mark Venus, Don Goodman, Steve Bull, Mark Atkins and Paul Birch Referee:- Steve Lodge
Big Ron’s men went on to go fourteen games without a win in the league from the beginning of this season which ended with an amazing and unexpected 5-0 thrashing of champions Blackburn Rovers on 9th December!
CCFC 1995-96
The end of the season was a nail-biter with the Sky Blues finishing on 38 points in sixteenth equal with fellow survivors Southampton and relegated club Manchester City!
Wolves, who had future Sky Blue (and CCFPA member) Steve Froggatt on their books, went on to lose to local rivals Aston Villa in the Quarter Finals of the League Cup. They finished in twentieth spot in Division One only three points and two positions above relegated Millwall!
Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young (& Dean Nelson) for sourcing the images.
