Matchday Memories: On This Day 1987 – See Sky Blues Lick Liverpool (Thanks To Nick Pick)!

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George & Sills celebrate the Wembley Cup win

On this day (2nd May) in 1987 it was a gloriously sunny day with the Sky Blues looking forward to their first ever Wembley date in two weeks time. There were four Division One games left for the Sky Blues team, co-managed by George Curtis and  John Sillett (both later CCFPA members). That afternoon’s game was against second placed Liverpool and the Sky Blues came out with a 1-0 win. They had already played the Reds three times this season losing 2-0 at Anfield at the end of November in the league and, earlier the same month, drawing 0-0 there in the Fourth Round of the League Cup only to lose 3-1 at Highfield Road in the replay. Revenge was therefore sweet!

Nick in Sky Blue action

BBC cameras joined the 26,657 fans at Highfield Road, the biggest home gate since 1981 (and record receipts of over £100k), to see CCFPA  member Nick Pickering score the only goal of the game in the fiftieth minute. ‘Nick Pick’ drilled home profiting from a helpful rebound off a Liverpool player. The victory virtually ended the Reds’ title hopes as the Sky Blues showed real mastery over their illustrious visitors by besting them for the first time in four years. 

Former Sky Blue (and now CCFPA member) Gary Gillespie was in the ‘Pool side too along with the likes of Ian Rush, Alan Hansen and Jan Molby. The winning margin would have been more but for the heroics of the Liverpudlian’s shot-stopper Mike Hooper.

Benno in 1986

That win was the Sky Blues fourteenth that season establishing an all time club record for the top division. The three remaining Sky Blues games (Leicester City away and both Manchester United and Southampton at home finished in 1-1 draws as the Sky Blues finished a creditable tenth with 63 points. A very good season was capped by the Boys of ’87 bringing the F.A.Cup back to Coventry after that stirring extra time Wembley victory over the Spurs! Sadly we have only too recently lost both members of the management team within a few weeks of each other. RIP George and John!

Thanks to CCFPA’s Dean Nelson you can take your chance to see John and George interviewed, dressing room scenes at Highfield Road as well as view highlights of the game by clicking on the link or image below:-

https://youtu.be/CHHVDPl9ALI

It was great to see ‘Oggy’ (who had then only just retired after 35 years’ service to the club), Greg, ‘Benno’, ‘Nick Pick’, ‘Gynny’ and ‘the Houch’ all together again at tthe end of March 2019 at the Ricoh for Legends Day 2019 and three year’s later, after a club exile and COVID enforced absence, our grand former players’ reunion Legends Day 2022 returned with Oggy, Micky and Greg back at the renamed CBS Arena.
 
Player-manager Kenny Dalglish‘s Reds team that day was:-
Mike Hooper, Gary Gillespie, Barry Venison, Nigel Spackman, Ronnie Whelan, Alan Hansen, Gary Ablett (sub. John Aldridge), Craig Johnston, Ian Rush, Jan Molby and Steve McMahon    Referee:- Alf Buksh
 
Besides Gary there were two players on Liverpool’s books that season with future Sky Blues connections (both now CCFPA members), Steve Staunton and Kevin MacDonald

CCFC 1986-87

At the end of the season Liverpool had to accept, through gritted teeth, that they were runners up by fully nine points to Merseyside rivals and Champions Everton.

Leicester City (twentieth), Manchester City (21st) and bottom club Aston Villa were relegated. Charlton Athletic in nineteenth spot stayed up after winning the playoffs.

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images
 
 
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