Matchday Memories: On This Day 1991 – See Sky Blues Stun Gunners (Reigning Champs) At Highbury

Posted by · Leave a Comment 

Terry in the Sky Blue

On this day (7th September) in 1991 Sky Blues manager Terry Butcher‘s team were in London facing the Arsenal at Highbury in front of 28,142 fans. The City were none too confident after two successive defeats (1-0 at home to Wimbledon and 1-2 at Oldham Athletic). However, their luck was about to turn at the venerable London home of the club who just happened to be the reigning League Champions!

Within a minute, unbelievably, the Gunners’ England full back Lee Dixon contrived a stupendous chipped own goal against David Seaman! The home team battered the Sky Blues after this stunner but the visitors survived the onslaught reaching half time 1-0 up.  Transfer listed (now CCFPA member) Lloyd McGrath was nonetheless having a stormer in City’s team.

Sky Blues Peter in the 1990s

A similar pattern of Arsenal dominance continued until five minutes from the end when one of the Sky Blues’ two subs, our ‘Bulawayo Bullet’, Peter Ndlovu (later to become CCFPA’s 300th member) managed to rob the Gunners’ Andy Linighan and squeeze the ball under David Seaman to double the Sky Blues’ advantage. ITV’s cameras were covering the game and their commentator Jim Rosenthal struggles a bit with the eighteen year old City substitute’s name and, appropriately for the Sky Blues mascot, notes that Ndlovu means ‘elephant’ in the Zulu language!

the mid table Gunners were a beaten team and it made no difference when their captain Tony Adams grabbed a consolation a minute from the end! City’s 2-1 win was the first home defeat conceded by the Champs in eighteen months – truly a shock!

Dixon’s howler and Nuddy’s strike can be relived courtesy of CCFPA’s Dean Nelson by clicking on the link or image below:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwO9lkZtR5Q

A distraught Gunner -Lee Dixon

The City team who humbled the Gooners at Highbury that day (CCFPA members underlined) was:-

Steve Ogrizovic, Brian Borrows, Peter Billing, Stewart Robson, Andy Pearce, Peter Atherton, Ray Woods (sub. Dean Emerson), Lloyd McGrath, Paul Furlong, Kevin Gallacher and Kevin Drinkell (sub. Peter Ndlovu)

Arsenal‘s team lined up as follows:-

David Seaman, Lee Dixon, Nigel Winterburn, Kevin Campbell, Andy Linighan, Tony Adams, Paul Rocastle, Paul Davis (sub. Michael Thomas -2), Alan Smith, Paul Merson and Anders Limpar (sub. O’Leary -1)        Referee:- Roger Gifford

CCFC 1991-92

Don Howe- CCFC Manager

The Sky Blues ended the season under the management of Terry Butcher‘s deputy Don Howe who replaced him in January 1992.  Don just kept the Sky Blues up in nineteenth spot two points but only one place and two points above the relegated clubs (Luton Town, Notts. County and, at the bottom, West Ham United).

The Gunners had won the return in April at Highfield Road by the only goal scored by Kevin Campbell and so got their revenge. By the end of the season Arsenal had recovered their composure and finished fourth behind new champions Leeds United, runners up Manchester United and Sheffield Wednesday (third).

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

 

Share Post

Comments

Speak Your Mind

Tell us what you're thinking...


*
= 5 + 3