Matchday Memories: On This Pre Season Day 1994 – Tivvy Tumble To Sky Blues In West Country

The match-day programme

On this evening (27th July) in 1994 the Sky Blues were about to kick off their pre season preparations for the upcoming Premier League campaign under Phil Neal (who would not last out the season). City were down in the West Country playing three pre-season warm ups.

This afternoon’s opponents were Tiverton Town who were reigning champions of the Western Football League Premier Division and would go on to repeat the trick at the end of this season. Exeter City were next up in two days time followed, on the last day of this month, by a fixture at Plymouth Argyle. City would be undefeated in all three games.

Phil would have been pleased with the start as the Sky Blues beat Tivvy at Ladysmead by 3-1 and that’s all the certain detail we have to hand at the moment! If anyone has any further information on the teams and/or scorers please get in touch.

The Match Programme outlines the respective squads for the game as follows:-

Phil Neal, Coventry City Manager

Phil Neal’s Sky Blues (CCFPA players underlined) in alphabetical order:-

Steve Ogrizovic (gk), Jonathan Gould (gk), Phil Babb, Willie Boland, Brian Borrows, David Busst, Julian Darby, Sean Flynn, John Gayle, Mick Harford, Lee Hurst, Peter Ndlovu, David Rennie, Stewart Robson, Tony Sheridan, Jason Smith and Roy Wegerle

Jason was a young Sky Blue player who used to play for Tiverton

Tiverton‘s squad was:-

Ian Nott, Paul Edwards, Neil Saunders, Mark Saunders, Martin Tredegeon, Hedley Steele, Martyn Grimshaw, Kevin Smith, Phil Everett, Steve Daly, Steve Hynds, Gary Carpenter, Matthew Scott, Kevin Cole and James Wheatcroft.

The designated Referee was Steve Dunn (Bristol)

Oggy in the Sky Blue red

After a goalless draw at Exeter City the Sky Blues beat Argyle 2-0 at Home Park before returning closer to home on August 6th to take on more substantial opposition in Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux. Sadly the Sky Blues succumbed by the odd goal in three to the Wolves and that was also the score in City’s final pre-season game, the only one at Highfield Road. Worse, it was local rivals Aston Villa who defeated the Sky Blues in a testimonial game for the Sky Blues’ legendary goalkeeper Steve Ogrizovic (now a CCFPA member).

Ron salutes the Sky Blue faithful

As the City sank towards the bottom of the Premier League as the season progressed CCFC’s board reacted and in mid February 1995 (now CCFPA member) Ron Atkinson was installed as Sky Blue supremo. Big Ron did enough to ensure the club’s survival in the top tier in 16th five points and three places above the drop.