Matchday Memories: On This Day 1987 – Goalless At Highbury As Sky Blues Make Live TV Debut
On this day (18th January) in 1987, in what became the Sky Blues wonderful F.A.Cup winning season, the Sky Blues had their first taste of live TV coverage in their Division One game at Arsenal, shifted to a Sunday evening kick-off appropriately.
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 grabbed the Sky Blues goals, one in each half.
The Sky Blues, under the coaching duo of former Sky Blue players George Curtis and John Sillett played the Gunners in front of the Big Match cameras in front of a poor and maybe displeased Highbury crowd of just 17,561.
The cameras and Gooners were anticipating top of the table Arsenal to rip City apart since they were twenty one games undefeated and had a front line filled with goal scoring prowess. City were enjoying a wonderful season and were sixth at the time.
The clever talents of the Gunners’ 19 year old winger David Rocastle undoubtedly gave the Sky Blues full back Greg Downs a tough time but the Sky Blues defenders held out, refusing to bow under the relentless onslaught, 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.
We are glad to inform readers that, along with the managing tandem George and John (both lamented following their very recent demise), every member of this famous squad eventually went on to join our 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 lately joined CCFPA and attended following Legends Days and the like.
At the conclusion of the season, except from bringing the F.A.Cup back to an exultant Coventry for the first time ever, George and John’s youngsters placed ninth in Division One.
The Gunners’ Champions pretensions dropped a little later in the season as they finished fourth. Everton clinched the Division One championship from neighbors Liverpool by a whopping nine points.
Leicester City, Manchester City and bottom team, and CCFC’s close rivals Aston Villa were demoted.
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