Arsenal (a) 18-01-1987 front
On this day (18th January) in 1987, in what became the Sky Blues magnificent F.A.Cup winning season, the Sky Blues got their first taste of live TV coverage in their Division One game at Arsenal, moved to a Sunday evening kick-off accordingly. City had set things up by winning by the odd goal in three at Highfield Road at the end of August in the second game of the season. Cyrille Regis and Nick Pickering got the Sky Blues goals, one in each half.
George & John 1987
The Sky Blues, under the managerial partnership of former Sky Blue players George Curtis and John Sillett faced the Gunners in front of the Big Match cameras in front of a disappointing and possibly disappointed Highbury crowd of only 17,561. The cameras and Gooners were expecting top of the table Arsenal to tear City apart given they were twenty one games unbeaten and had a forward line stacked with goal scoring talent. City were having a great season and were eighth at the time.
Greg Downs in the Sky Blue
The tricky skills of the Gunners’ 19 year old winger David Rocastle certainly gave the Sky Blues full back Greg Downs a difficult time but the Sky Blues defence held out, refusing to buckle under the sustained pressure, in the half empty stadium.
The Sky Blues deserved their goalless draw and did it with the following team:-
Steve Ogrizovic, Brian Borrows, Greg Downs, Dean Emerson, Brian Kilcline, Trevor Peake, Lloyd McGrath, Keith Houchen, the late Cyrille Regis, Micky Gynn and Nick Pickering.
Kenny Sansom in the Sky Blue
We are delighted to remind readers that, along with the managerial duo George and John (both mourned after their fairly recent passing), every member of this illustrious team later went on to join this Association.
The Gunners lined up as follows:-
John Lukic, Viv Anderson, Kenny Sansom, Steve Williams, David O’Leary, Tony Adams, David Rocastle, Paul Davis, Naill Quinn, Charlie Nicholas and Martin Hayes (sub. Graham Rix) Referee: Keith Hackett
Future Sky Blue (1991-93) Kenny Sansom was a Gunners’ defender in this game and Kenny has himself fairly recently joined CCFPA and has attended subsequent Legends Days and the like.
At the end of the season, apart from bringing the F.A.Cup back to an exultant Coventry for the first time ever, George and John’s boys finished tenth in Division One.
CCFC 1986-87
The Gunners’ Champions pretensions slipped a bit later in the season as they finished fourth. Everton took the Division One title from neighbours Liverpool by a massive nine points.
Leicester City, Manchester City and bottom club, and CCFC’s near neighbours Aston Villa were relegated.
Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images.
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