World Cup Memories: On This Day 2006 – England Subdue Soca Warriors (Inc. Sky Blue Stern & Chris)
On this day (15th June) in 2006 then Sky Blues striker Stern John and Chris Birchall (who would soon join the Sky Blues) lined up together in the Trinidad and Tobago team which took on England in that years World Cup in Germany. In the Stadion Nurnberg, England clinched progress to the knockout phase by winning by two clear goals scored by Peter Crouch and Stevie Gerrard.
Future Sky Blue Joe Cole also started for England who also beat Paraguay 1-0 and drew 2-2 with fellow qualifiers Sweden in Group B. Though TT (aka as the ‘Soca Warriors’) also drew (0-0) with Sweden they also lost 2-0 to Paraguay to go home bottom of the group. Italy eventually won the tournament, claiming their fourth World Cup title defeating France 5–3 in an extra time penalty shoot out in the final. after it finishing 1–1 at full time. England went out to Portugal in the quarter finals.
Stern came to the UK having honed his skills with various clubs in the USA from 1996. Starting out with Nottingham Forest in 1999 he moved to Birmingham City in 2002 before arriving at Highfield Road in 2004. By the time he left for Sunderland in 2007 he had clocked up 88 Sky Blue appearances and netted 29 times (plus seven appearances on loan at Derby County). After his time with the Black Cats between 2007-10 Stern had spells at Southampton, Bristol City, Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town and later played abroad again and was briefly attached to Solihull Moors in the UK in 2012. He has since done coaching back in Trinidad and Tobago. Between 1995-2011 Stern had scored an amazing 70 goals in his 115 appearances for his country!
CCFPA member (and former CCFC player) Micky Adams brought Chris to Coventry for £300k from his first club, Port Vale in July 2006. Chris had been a junior with the Vale since 1993 when he turned professional and clocked up 78 league appearances (7 goals) before joining the Sky Blues. At the Ricoh, Chris contributed a couple of goals in his 33 appearances (plus 9 for St Mirren and 2 for Carlisle United out on loan whilst with City) before moving to Brighton and Hove Albion (briefly) on a free in January 2009. Later the same year Chris turned to MLS in the USA with LA Galaxy and then Columbus Crew returning in 2013 for three seasons with first club, Port Vale. His last reported posting was for non-league Kidsgrove for 2016-17. Chris went on to score 4 goals in his 43 appearances for T&T between 2005-13.
Between 2005-13 Chris won 43 caps for Trinidad & Tobago for whom he qualified to play through his mother’s birthplace (Port of Spain). Chris has only recently joined this Association (May 2021).
Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young & Dean Nelson for sourcing the photos.