Bugsy in the Sky Blue
On this day (8th September) in 1990 CCFC’s ‘gaffer’ was still Sky Blues 1987 F.A.Cup winning hero John Sillett and he had prepared a team to face old foes Aston Villa in Birmingham.
City’s Division One campaign this season had started off with a 2-0 defeat at Manchester United‘s Old Trafford despite having plenty of play during the game. In their first (midweek) first home game of the season, City’s quality play got its just desserts as Everton fell victim to a 3-1 defeat by the Sky Blues with goals from (all now CCFPA members) David Speedie, Kevin Gallacher and Tony Dobson with his first ever Sky Blue goal. Last time out was another home game against Nottingham Forest and a 2-2 draw ensued in a game of three penalties, City’s two from Brian Kilcline (48 minutes) and an equaliser with only two minutes to go from Killer’s now fellow CCFPA member Brian Borrows.
Jose Perdomo in the Sky Blue 1990-91
‘Snoz’ had chosen to give a City debut to our Uruguayan signing Jose Perdomo on this day at Villa Park and he did show some exquisite touches. However, at the end of the day the Villa jinx continued and the Sky Blues lost at home by the odd goal in three. The Villa were given a helping hand six minutes from the break when our 1987 F.A.Cup hero (and now CCFPA member) Lloyd McGrath slipped up by bringing down England hero David Platt in the box. Platty picked himself up and plonked the penalty past Oggy.
Sky Blues full back Brian ‘Bugsy‘ Borrows gave the Sky Blue faithful in the 27,001 crowd some hope when he bent a twenty yard equaliser round Villa ‘keeper Nigel Spink. There was a slice of luck involved in the Villa’s 78th minute winner as Tony Cascarino tapped in after City’s defence was bamboozled by a mis-hit Dwight Yorke shot! So, the Sky Blues found themselves beaten by the odd goal in three.
Thanks to former CCFPA committee member Dean Nelson you can watch the match highlights by clicking on the link or image below:-
Sillett’s Sky Blues turned out with the following team (all subsequently became CCFPA members):-
John Sillett CCFC gaffer
Steve Ogrizovic, Brian Borrows, Paul Edwards, Lloyd McGrath (sub. Tony Dobson -2), Brian Kilcline, Trevor Peake, Kevin Gallacher, Micky Gynn, David Speedie, Kevin Drinkell (sub. the late Cyrille Regis -1) and Jose Perdomo
Jozef Venglos put out the following Villa side:-
Nigel Spink, Price, Gallacher, McGrath, Mountfield, Neilson, Tony Daley, David Platt, Nigel Olney (sub. Dwight Yorke), Gordon Cowans and Tony Cascarino Referee:- G.Ashby
Terry in the Sky Blue
Sadly, results soon deteriorated and Sills was sacked in November with City hovering over the relegation zone. Player-manager Terry Butcher took over the Highfield Road hot seat. On his watch, early in the new year, on the 19th January, the Sky Blues got their revenge at Highfield Road by reversing the score. David Platt scored first but Micky Gynn (54 minutes) and David Speedie ten minutes before the final whistle gave the Sky Blues the points.
The Sky Blues season bumbled on and although the Sky Blues got to the Rumbelows Cup Quarter Final and made the Fourth Round of the F.A.Cup their final league position in Division One was sixteenth place safety ten points better off than relegated Sunderland in nineteeth and twenty better than bottom club Derby County.
CCFC 1990-91 under John Sillett
Even though they had had one point deducted Arsenal took the title easily by a seven point margin from Liverpool. Today’s opponents Aston Villafinished in seventeenth on the same points as the Sky Blues but a place below us.
Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Youngfor sourcing the images