Daily Mail article
Lee in Sky Blue Action
In the next post we remind readers of one of our members achievements by congratulating former Sky Blue defender (and CCFPA member) Lee Carsley, Head Coach of England U21s for leading the Young Lions to the Final of the European U21 Championships in Batumi, Georgia.
‘Carso’s Boys’ duly brought home the bacon beating Spain in the Final 1-0 on this day (8th July) in 2023! Lee’s charges won the trophy with a 100% record and without conceding a goal (confirmed by the England ‘keeper saving a late penalty in the Final)! So much more in the way of congratulations were in order for Lee and his men. At the time CCFPA Vice Chairman Billy Bell texted his congratulations to Lee as follows:-
“Proud of you and all the England lads yesterday, Lee. Hope to see you soon. ATB” and soon got a reply from our no doubt very busy member as follows, “Thanks mate, hope you’re well!”
Mark in the Sky Blue
Danny in the Sky Blue
We also stated that this achievement was one better than the previous time the Young Lions reached the final in 2009 when they lost to Germany. The 2023 win over Spain cast a lot of people’s minds back to the last time England actually won these Championships, ironically with a win in the final against the Spaniards in 1984! Billy supplied an article from the Daily Mail two years ago which looked at the coincidence in detail. Remarkably the Young Lions were managed by former Sky Blue and Manchester United ‘gaffer’ Dave Sexton and also had a trio of young players with past or future Sky Blues’ connections in the team (all three now CCFPA members)!
Nick in Sky Blue action
Dave Sexton when CCFC’s ‘gaffer’
Mark Hateley (CCFC 1978-83), Danny Thomas (1979-83) and Nick Pickering (1986-88) were in the England U21 team when they defeated the Spaniards 2-1 over two legs. Sadly, none was actually a Coventry City player at the time with Mark moved to Portsmouth, Danny transferred to Tottenham Hotspur and Nick, yet to become a Sky Blue F.A.Cup winner, still at Sunderland when these games were played.
England had topped Group 3 in the qualifiers (Quarter Final) with five wins out of six against Denmark 4-1 & 4-1, Greece 2-1 and Hungary 1-0 & 2-0. Their only defeat was to the Greeks by the only goal. In the Semi-Finals, France were conquered home and away by 6-1 and 1-0 and England squeezed through the Semis on a 3-2 aggregate. Despite falling to a single goal defeat to Italy they won the second leg 3-1. The final against Spain was also a two legged affair with the Young Lions triumphing in each leg 1-0 and 2-0. Mark scored the first goal in the second leg to level the scores with Howard Gayle of Birmingham netting the winner. Mark said, “It lifted my profile within the England set up”.
The Saturday Daily Mail from a year ago analyses the 1984 squad
Many in the media then also looked at what happened in the future careers of the 1984 squad members (see the Online Daily Mail article with some interesting photos by clicking here). As it happened five of this 1984 Dave Sexton U21 squad went on to be chosen by Bobby Robson for the full England party which he took to the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. Sadly, only Mark Hateley of the Sky Blue trio were amongst them (though Peter Shilton, Terry Butcher, Kenny Sansom and Peter Reid all later went on to link with the Sky Blues and both Kenny and Peter R. are Association members now). There was certainly an incentive for the ‘Boys of 2023’ to seek future Full honours for their country and Cole Palmer and Anthony Gordon made it to the Euro24England squad last year at the semi-final stage in Germany!!
Interestingly, of all the England U21 managers, not only Dave Sexton (twice) and Lee Carsley (twice) have CCFC connections but also CCFPA members Peter Reid and Stuart Pearce have done the job as well as former Sky Blue ‘gaffer’ Aidy Boothroyd!
Mark Hateley (England)
Danny in the England strip
Peter Shilton & Nick Pick with England kit
Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young andBilly Bell for sourcing the images
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