Peter Ndlovu in the Sky Blue
On this Day (March 14th) in 1995 Anfield saw the best of the Sky Blues Zimbabwean star Peter Ndlovu (later to become CCFPA’s 300th member). The ‘Bulawayo Bullet’ fired his first ever hat-trick (and became the first visiting player to manage a treble at the home of Liverpool FC since 1962)! The Kop was silenced and the Sky Blues fans among the 27,183 Anfield crowd went home delighted!
The final score was 3-2 in favour of the Sky Blues whose new manager, (now CCFPA member) Ron Atkinson must have been really gratified in only his sixth game in charge after taking over from Phil Neal the previous month. The Sky Blues had drawn 1-1 with the Reds back at Highfield Road the previous December thanks to a 58th minute equaliser from (now CCFPA member) Sean Flynn.
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The win was all the more creditable as the ‘Pool were Coca Cola Cup finalists, had only lost two games in the last twenty five and went on to finish fourth in the Premier League. The Sky Blues ended up in sixteenth, three points clear of the relegation teams.
Nuddy in Sky Blue action
Nuddy struck in the 20th, 35th (from a penalty) and 85th minutes. In reply Jan Molby got his customary penalty against the Sky Blues in the 76th minute and Liverpool were saved from an even more embarrassing defeat by adding a last minute effort courtesy an unfortunate own goal from CCFC’s Brian Borrows (who became CCFC’s ‘Player of The Year’ at the end of the season and much later an Association member).
Big Ron
Big Ron’s Sky Blues who did duty that day (CCFPA members underlined) were:-
Jonathan Gould, Nick Pickering, David Burrows, Kevin Richardson, Brian Borrows, David Rennie, Willie Boland, Paul Cook, Dion Dublin, Mike Marsh and Peter Ndlovu.
Roy Evans‘ Reds team comprised:-
David James, Rob Jones, Stig Inge Bjornebye (sub. Mark Walters), Michael Thomas, Neil Ruddock, John Scales, Steve McManaman, Jamie Redknapp, Ian Rush, Robbie Fowler and Jan Molby Referee:- M.Reed
CCFC 1994-95
At the end of the 1994-95 season the Red Devils of Manchester United were pipped by Blackburn Rovers for the Premier League title by a single point and the Reds had to settle for fourth. The Sky Blues survived five points and three positions above the danger zone.
In a bad season for East Anglia the relegated quartet this season were (in descending order) Crystal Palace, Norwich City, Leicester City and bottom club Ipswich Town.
Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young (& Dean Nelson) for sourcing the images.
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