Matchday Memories: On This Day 2018 – See The Robins Rattled By Mark Robins Men (Ta Marc & Max)!

Manager Mark

On this day (20th January) in 2018, just seven years ago, Sky Blue manager Mark Robins was in the process of seeking to lift his team out of the fourth tier of the Football League where the Sky Blues had found themselves for only the second time in their history after relegation in 2016-17. The Sky Blues form so far had been patchy with runs of wins and losses but few draws. Today, following a 1-0 defeat at Exeter City the eighth placed Sky Blues were entertaining Swindon Town at the Ricoh in front of a modest crowd of 8,463 (including 1,280 fans from the west country). The Sky Blues had a degree of confidence as they had already beaten the Robins 2-1 at their place thanks to a goal from captain Michael Doyle and a winner from Duckens Nazon after the home team had scored first.

Marc’s penalty whistles past Reice

Max celebrates his goal

Today, the Sky Blues ran out 3-1 winners after shading the first half by the odd goal in three. The Sky Blues’ French forward Max Biamou opened the scoring after seventeen minutes with blistering volley from fully thirty yards out. Our top scorer Marc McNulty then got the first of his brace today after 24 minutes converting a thumping penalty after picking himself up from being barged over in the box.

Marc in the Sky Blue

The Robins did manage to pull one back just before the break from close range as Oliver Banks slid in to convert a cross which should have been cut out by the Sky Blues defence.  Marc grabbed his second ten minutes before full time making a clean strike from almost nothing to put the game to bed. All three City goals went past recent former young Sky Blue ‘keeper (and now CCFPA member) Reice Charles-Cook (now a CCFPA member) who could not be blamed for any of the efforts which were put past him. The Robins missed a number of chances to equalise and City’s own ‘keeper Lee Burge performed goalmouth heroics to keep Swindon out.

Thanks to former CCFPA committee member Dean Nelson you can watch highlights of the game by clicking on the link or image below:-

https://youtu.be/rUqMxAZtAdk

Sky Blue Reice in 2016-17

Reice Charles-Cook, Kellan Gordon (sub. James Brophy -75), Oliver Banks, Matt Preston, Chris Robertson, Oliver Lancashire (c), Ellis Iandolo, James Dunne, Luke Norris (sub. Marc Richards -63), Keshi Anderson and Kaiyne Woolery (sub. Paul Mullin -72)  Unused subs:  Ben Purkiss, Matthew Taylor, Kyle Noyle and Will Henry (gk)   Referee: Stephen Martin

After finishing in 6th place, as is well known, the Sky Blues vacated League Two this season beating Notts County in two stirring legs of the play-off Semi-Final and then beating Exeter City 3-1 in the final in a brilliant Wembley day out in front of more than 50,000 with nearly 38,000 from Cov!

CCFC 2017-18

Swindon Town finished outside the playoffs in ninth spot this season. The other upwardly mobile clubs this season were Champions Accrington Stanley, Luton Town (runners up) and Wycombe Wanderers in third place. The desperate duo relegated to the National League were Barnet in 23rd and bottom club Chesterfield Town.

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

 

Matchday Memories: On This Day 1996 – See Sky Blues Snatch Man.City Draw (‘DD Works Wonders’)

Ron salutes the Sky Blue faithful

On this day (20th January) in 1996 the Sky Blues were under the charge of Ron Atkinson with the team knocking about the lower reaches of the F.A.Carling Premiership along with this afternoon’s opponents at Maine Road, Manchester City. Both teams were aware that the Sky Blues had got initial bragging rights having defeated the light blues by the odd goal in three in the second game of the season at Highfield Road with goals from Paul Telfer and Dion Dublin (both CCFPA members now).

The Sky Blues were wearing their purple striped away strip in a game which disappointed both sets of supporters in the 25,710 crowd. Danish player Ronnie Eklund had arrived on loan at Highfield Road from Barcelona after a similar loan period at Maine Road but never got a first team game for us!

Dion in the Sky Blue

Full back Brian Borrow returned to the side to replace (now fellow CCFPA member) Dave Busst who had received a suspension. Another Association member, in-form Paul Williams, picked up an injury during the game which finished all square at 1-1.

 

Defender Ian Brightwell came to Highfield Road from Man.City in 1998 but only got one League Cup outing under Big Ron’s successor Gordon Strachan (both now CCFPA members).

CCFC 1995-96

The Sky Blues got two wins and two draws at season’s end which was only just enough to guarantee them a sixteenth place finish two above this relegated Manchester City side on the same points (along with also safe Southampton). Queen’s Park Rangers and Bolton Wanderers were the other teams that took the drop in 1995-96.

 

City’s fellow Mancunians Manchester United took the Premier League title to complete their misery (four points ahead of runners up Newcastle United).

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

 

Members News: ‘Boys Of 87’ Legends (& CCFPA) Remember Cyrille

Rich, ‘Benno’ Sarah, ‘Oggy’, Kirk, Micky & Trevor

Cyrille Regis RIP

Yesterday, the Sunday after the Bristol City match at the CBS Arena (which all of those mentioned below except ‘Captain Peakey’ had attended) saw CCFPA committee members President Kirk Stephens, Sarah Morris and Richard Morris join a mini ‘Boys of ‘87’ reunion in a local hostelry in Cheylesmore, Coventry when four stars of Coventry City‘s stirring 1987 Wembley win reminisced about all things Sky Blue. The 1986-87 squad have remained exceptionally close since that tremendous club achievement and the survivors meet up as often as they can for a chat. Of course the management team of that time (both ex CCFC players and later CCFPA members) John Sillett and George Curtis have both since sadly passed away!

More particularly this time the 1987 quartet Dave Bennett (also a CCFPA committee member), Steve Ogrizovic, Micky Gynn and Trevor Peake wanted to remember their legendary CCFC comrade of that F.A.Cup run who sadly passed away just short of his 60^th on 14^th January 2018, ‘Big’ Cyrille Regis RIP!

We share the image of their recent mini-reunion with you above together with some relevant images reminding us of back in the day (provided by ‘Benno’). Enjoy!

Matchday Memories: On This Day 1945 Pt.2 – F.A. & R.A.F. Turn Up Ten Goal Thriller At Highfield Rd.

Joe Mercer (Everton)

Joe Mercer CCFC ‘gaffer’

On the same day (20th January) in 1945 as CCFC’s game at Walsall (which was covered in the last posting) at the club’s home at Highfield Road CCFC were honoured in being chosen to stage a Charity friendly between teams representing the Football Association and the Royal Air Force. The game featured many famous footballing stars of the time and several home nation’s internationals including Bert Williams, Gil Merrick, Len Shackleton, Tommy Lawton, Stan Mortensen and Joe Mercer, later to become Sky Blue Manager.

The legendary Stanley Matthews was to have played in the game but was forced to withdraw at the last minute due to a family bereavement.

On a snowbound Highfield Road, in another high scoring game the R.A.F. XI won 6-4!  This was a War Charities Representative Match in aid of the Red Cross & St John’s Fund (Footballers Appeal). The R.A.F. team’s goalscorers were Stanley Mortensen with a hat-trick, a brace from ‘Jock’ Dodds and a solo from Les Smith. The F.A.XI’s scorers were Tommy Lawton, a brace from Len Shackleton and an own goal from the R.A.F.’s William Layton.

Music was supplied by the City of Coventry Air Training Corps (ATC) Wing Band.

The teams lined up as follows (with their current club attachment shown):-

R.A.F. XI: Bert Williams (Walsall); Laurie Scott (Arsenal) & George Hardwick (Middlesbrough); Frank Soo (Stoke City), George Brown (Huddersfield) & William Layton (Reading); Les Smith (Brentford), ‘Sailor’ Brown (Charlton), Ephraim ‘Jock’ Dodds (Blackpool), Stan Mortensen (Blackpool) & Thomas Pearson (Newcastle)

F.A.XI: Gil Merrick (Birmingham & Army); Bert Sproston (Man.City & Army) & Harry Kinsell (W.B.A. & Army); Neil Franklin (Stoke & R.A.F.), George Smith (Charlton & Army) & Joe Mercer (Everton & Army); Frank Broome (Aston Villa), Len Shackleton (Bradford Park Ave.), Tommy Lawton (Everton & Army); Maurice Edelston (Reading & Army) & Eddie Burbanks (Sunderland & R.A.F.)     

Referee: H.Bryant (Tipton)

The F.A. were impressed at the club’s facilities and the 12,750 crowd at Highfield Road. They hinted that the ground would be considered for further big national representative games in future.

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for researching and illustrating the article.