Matchday Memories: On This Day In 1996 -Liam & Eoin’s Boro Debut Draw For Big Ron’ Sky Blues!

On this day (24th February) in 1995 ‘Big Ron’ Atkinson was in his first full season in charge at Highfield Road having taken over from Phil Neal the previous February.

CCFC were languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League looking cautiously downwards rather than up the league table having also gone out of the F.A.Cup at Manchester City‘s Maine Road the previous Saturday.

CCFC ended up drawing 0-0 at home to Premier League newbies Middlesbrough on this day with CCFC’s new boys Liam Daish and Eoin Jess both making their Sky Blue debuts.

The ‘gaffer’ and both recruits are now CCFPA members!

A crowd of 17,979 had came out to watch what proved to be a very poor game in terms of quality football with a quickly decaying Highfield Road ground not helping matters.

Though they had lost 2-1 to the visitors in their new Riverside Park home in Teesside back the previous September City had planned to capitalise on the visitor’s recent poor run of form.
Bryan Robson‘s side had endured eight successive defeats prior to the game and had dropped from fourth spot in the premier league to below mid-table.

However, the Sky Blues found it impossible to break past Boro’s staunch defence and Liam and Eoin’s new side were only able to manage one shot on target the whole game.

However our new tough as nails defender Liam must have been thrilled with the clean sheet at least!

Steve Ogrizovic, Ally Pickering (sub. Nii Lamptey -76), Liam Daish, Richard Shaw, Paul Telfer (sub. Dave Busst -41), David Burrows, Kevin Richardson, Eoin Jess, Dion Dublin, Noel Whelan, and John Salako.Not used John Filan (gk) substituted

The Middlesbrough
Jan Age Fjortoft, Robbie Mustoe, Graham Kavanagh, Derek Whyte, Phil Whelan, Nick Barmby, Jamie Pollock, Neil Cox, Curtis Fleming, Steve Vickers, and Gary WalshNot used Paul Wilkinson, John Hendrie, and Craig Hignett are the substitutes.The official is Paul Durkin.

It’s interesting to note that the two players the visitors left off the bench (John and Craig above) later joined this Association and the Sky Blues!

Despite going undefeated in their last four games, Big Ron’s team only managed to survive on the final day with another goalless home draw, this time against Leeds United. By the end of the season, Boro had managed to halt the decline and finished a respectable 12th in the Premier League in their first season back.

Only goal differential kept City in 16th place, sharing points with relegated Manchester City (18th) and Southampton (17th). Queens Park Rangers and (lowest) Bolton Wanderers were below them, likewise declining!