Sky Blue Memories (2 Viewers)

[MusicDating]

Hi all,

I know it's increasingly difficult to celebrate the 25yr anniversary of our finest moment as we slip further away from ever repeating the feat, but I thought it might be an idea to keep a thread going of memories of the Cup run up until 16th May??

So...I was too young to go to the away matches, but as an 12yr old before the 3rd round match v Bolton I was given a signed football on the pitch for winning a 'Spot-the-difference' competition in a previous programme.

Also got free tickets for the Main Stand, so sat there with my Dad freezing in my parker jacket watching a straightforward win. (oh and the club lost the photo they took of my presentation...some things don't change...I've still got the ball though)

Anybody else go to the Bolton game??

PUSB

 

---

[ccfcway]

Sergt Pepper taught the bad to play

 

[BurbageSkyBlues]

Yep, was there in the west end.

3-0 at halftime, on a frozen pitch if I remember. Job done, took it easy second half, they did not fancy playing, we had the right attitude from the start.

Missed the next round, away at manure, but went to every other game, all away. And the mancs wanted SAF sacked, lol......just like some of our impatient fans with recent managers, they fail to see the bigger picture.

Maybe, just maybe, with less vitriol and more support for Gordan and his team, we might have stayed up......

 

[DazzleTommyDazzle]

I was there.

Probably wouldn't have gone as I was living in Bristol at the time and it was a feezing cold day with snow forecast, but a guy I was working with at the time had been at university with one of the Warburton family (the bakers - who owned Bolton at the time) and he'd been told we could get tickets off him for the Diectors' Box. Of course when we got there Bolton had over-filled their allocation as it was a big game for them, but we did get a cup of tea in some ante-room before taking our (ordinary) seats.

I remember a pretty easy win on a pitch that froze more as the game went on. Micky Gynn was the star - low centre of gravity really worked for him on that pitch!

In the end, I was really glad I went as I ended up going to all the cup games that year.

Mind you - I went to all the cup games this year (if you overlook the first 15 minutes.....).

 

[The Reverend Skyblue]

I went to all the games except the quarter final and semi final.I can remeber listening to the leeds game live on the radio, and as most of my mates were leeds fans who did'nt want to know the score, as they wanted to watch the extended highlights about an hour later on television, i had to keep quiet and not say anything. I just sat there in my mates tele room with the smugest grin on my face, so they knew what had happened just not the actual score.
I could'nt go to the Quarters as i played footie then and it was an important game, but i was so sidetracked wanting to know the score that i had an absolute nightmare and later recieved a thrown shinpad from the manager at full time.

The Rev

 

[ICHAN]

Went to every round, never missed a game home or away for years (apart from my brothers wedding) though as there was always a car load who used to go from the saracens head, just about managed to get a ticket for the final though, the old man bought it for me in the spurs end.

Went down to wembley with the lads on the tube thinking what we going to do about getting in to the cov end. As we got off the tube some bloke come up and asked me if I wanted to swap it for a Cov ticket, so sorted.
Still have the st georges cross bed sheet that I wore that day and a flag although thats gone purple now with age and the sheet a bit mouldy but not going to throw either away.

 

[Nonleagueherewecome]

Hi all,

I know it's increasingly difficult to celebrate the 25yr anniversary of our finest moment as we slip further away from ever repeating the feat, but I thought it might be an idea to keep a thread going of memories of the Cup run up until 16th May??

So...I was too young to go to the away matches, but as an 12yr old before the 3rd round match v Bolton I was given a signed football on the pitch for winning a 'Spot-the-difference' competition in a previous programme.

Also got free tickets for the Main Stand, so sat there with my Dad freezing in my parker jacket watching a straightforward win. (oh and the club lost the photo they took of my presentation...some things don't change...I've still got the ball though)

Anybody else go to the Bolton game??

PUSB

Sorry for highjacking your thread, but a few people have said they wanted a sticky like the "Jimmy Hill Years" on the old CT Forum. So here it is, but rather than restrict it to Jimmy's era, it's open for all years in the past. Sometimes it's better than talking about the present!

 

[EleanorRigby]

Remember standing outside the Main Stand about 2.30 and a load of Bolton toughies came round the corner and all of a sudden a brawl broke out all down King Richard Street, with this new Sky Blue crew called the Legion had never heard of them before but they walloped the Bolton lot all over the place.

 

[MusicDating]

Sorry for highjacking your thread, but a few people have said they wanted a sticky like the "Jimmy Hill Years" on the old CT Forum. So here it is, but rather than restrict it to Jimmy's era, it's open for all years in the past. Sometimes it's better than talking about the present!

No, don't mind at all!

If a shared memory can shake off the apparent acceptance of our fate and stir up some forgotten passion for our club, then that's gotta be a good thing.

 

[cornoccfc]

"top of the league with Dowie and Tim, Frankie Bunn and John Harbin was quite a memory"

 

[Nonleagueherewecome]

It's all ex-Sky Blues on R5 tonight what with the Cardiff game being on and Doyle scoring 30-yard piledrivers for Sheff U.

 

[B-Ban-Boogie]

Going to Hillsborough for the F.A Cup Semi final with a car full of people in a clapped out Triumph Dolomite which broke down 30 miles outside Sheffield.
We walked into a small village and knocked on a door, where an old lady opened her home to 6 drunken lads so we could ring a taxi. (well 5 and the driver who'd had 'one or two')
As we settled in to watch ‘Grandstand’ :laugh: the lady got us some tea and biscuits and basically treated us all like one of her family.
When the taxi arrived it was sky blue, with a dark blue bonnet and boot!!! The taxi driver was also a great bloke and got us to the stadium with 10 minutes to spare..
We got in just at kick off and the noise in the Kop End was immense.
I'll never forget one guy crying his eyes out at HT thinking the cup dream was over... then that second half....
After the game we searched around for people we knew to get lifts home and luckily got in the back of a van (which had a mattress in it) that got us home.
There was a Leeds fan in there also.. he was gutted!! hahahaha..
I was 15 and will never forget the old lady, taxi driver and van driver for thier good nature and generosity till the day I die…. WHAT. A. GAME…. WHAT. A. DAY!!!

 

[The Reverend Skyblue]

My memeories of Cup final day.

This is also one of my biggest regrets, and even today i can't believe that I did this.

Ever since i started supporting the skyblues in the very early seventies me and my Dad went everywhere watching the team and did so up to the FA Cup 5th round.I could'nt do the quarters and semi's but when we got to the final ,my best mate, who I can't stand today as he showed his true loyalty to me when i needed him most, asked me to go with him as he was a Spurs fan.

Without thinking i said yes and my poor ,now dead, Dad was shattered.My mum told me this after he died as he desperately wanted to share this moment with his only son and the person who for 17 years had gone through so much following the team, here there and everywhere.

I knew my mistake straight away but i stood by my word and left Dad,who did'nt want to go on his own, to watch it on television.
As my mate was so fecking selfish i had to even drive, so very early in the morning we drove up, as we could'nt get tickets from the clubs, as they had sold out so we had to rely on ticket touts,which we found straight away near the ground. As we had so many hours to kill and with tickets secured we found a drinking hole not far away. We then drank ourselves into a drunken stupor,i had totally forgot,or did'nt care i can't remember, i had to drive back somehow, and by the time the game started i was pretty bloody wasted.

The next two hours i won't describe as we all know what happened, but to say it was the best two hours of my life except for the fact that somehow stood right behind some fucker with an Irish flag, what that was about i don't know, but he constantly waved this giant flag so people behind him could'nt see the match, and we had to scream at him to bloody stop.

About 3 hours later i got back to Uxbridge tube station,to tell you the truth how the hell i got back there in my state i don't know, but anyway my mate the Totenham fan told me he had missed nearly the whole game as ,unbeknown to us we had bought fraudelent tickets and as they were only checking for them in the Tottenham end, he had got refused entry and had a "talking to" by the police.
I of course wet myself laughing but he was really peed off. To my utter shame now,and the only time i drove stinking drunk, i drove back down the M40 to home, which somehow we reached after a couple of hours driving from side to side. I am still utterly ashamed of myself but i did not have my thinking head on at all.

I miss my Dad terribly and always think what i did to him by not going with him, but also i look at my ex-mate, who did get what he later deserved by not getting in and missing the game.

The Rev

 

[changing-man]

bolton...very cold,cant remember anything about the game,running battles along the ansty road outside the pippin
man u...3 early pints in market tavern before getting on harry shaw coach,regretting this straight away when the driver refused to stop for a piss(no toilets on board in those days)so ended up filling a couple of coke cans and then putting them on the shelf above us only to see them fall on top of a couple of teenagers sat behind us,cant remember anything about the game,got a lift back of a couple of lads who said they were stopping at stoke on the way back,got into stoke centre and found loads of city lads in every pub,end result,some of the worst and prolonged fighting ive seen.
stoke...feeling abit twitchy after being told stoke were out for revenge,got off train late escorted to and from game no trouble,cant remember anything about the game.
sheff weds...as we were boarding our coach from the walsgrave pub,someone noticed the door to the store room was open and we helped our selves to a crate of holsten pils,cant remember anything about game apart from being crushed in the leppings lane end and cov fans fighting amongst themselves.
leeds..got off train at the same time as a load of leeds fans who started throwing coins,bottles etc.at us,cant remember anything about the game.
spurs..got the 1st train to wembley,got carry out and spent the rest of the time til kick off outside wembley taking in the atmosphere and photos,seeing them go 1 nil down and saying to my mate "we are gonna get hammered here" ,getting the piss taken out of me for years for crying at the final whistle,getting a lift back from the station in my mates mark 2 escort and seeing 1000s of people in the streets going wild,standing on the tables in the walsgrave belting out the sky blue song.....

 

[Changeyourface]

Went to every round, never missed a game home or away for years (apart from my brothers wedding) though as there was always a car load who used to go from the saracens head, just about managed to get a ticket for the final though, the old man bought it for me in the spurs end.

Went down to wembley with the lads on the tube thinking what we going to do about getting in to the cov end. As we got off the tube some bloke come up and asked me if I wanted to swap it for a Cov ticket, so sorted.
Still have the st georges cross bed sheet that I wore that day and a flag although thats gone purple now with age and the sheet a bit mouldy but not going to throw either away.

Saracens head in Longford by any chance?

 

[Johnnythespider]

I went to the semi and the final from the walsgrave remember it well coming back there after wembley, and getting pissed off when the bar shut at 10:30.

bolton...very cold,cant remember anything about the game,running battles along the ansty road outside the pippin
man u...3 early pints in market tavern before getting on harry shaw coach,regretting this straight away when the driver refused to stop for a piss(no toilets on board in those days)so ended up filling a couple of coke cans and then putting them on the shelf above us only to see them fall on top of a couple of teenagers sat behind us,cant remember anything about the game,got a lift back of a couple of lads who said they were stopping at stoke on the way back,got into stoke centre and found loads of city lads in every pub,end result,some of the worst and prolonged fighting ive seen.
stoke...feeling abit twitchy after being told stoke were out for revenge,got off train late escorted to and from game no trouble,cant remember anything about the game.
sheff weds...as we were boarding our coach from the walsgrave pub,someone noticed the door to the store room was open and we helped our selves to a crate of holsten pils,cant remember anything about game apart from being crushed in the leppings lane end and cov fans fighting amongst themselves.
leeds..got off train at the same time as a load of leeds fans who started throwing coins,bottles etc.at us,cant remember anything about the game.
spurs..got the 1st train to wembley,got carry out and spent the rest of the time til kick off outside wembley taking in the atmosphere and photos,seeing them go 1 nil down and saying to my mate "we are gonna get hammered here" ,getting the piss taken out of me for years for crying at the final whistle,getting a lift back from the station in my mates mark 2 escort and seeing 1000s of people in the streets going wild,standing on the tables in the walsgrave belting out the sky blue song.....

 

[TheUKGryphon]

I remember 16th May 1987 as if it were yesterday. I was 13 at the time. It was my mums 39th birthday and the majority of my family were coming round to watch the cup final. This including my nephew who was less than a month old as his parents were off to Wembley My nephew at the time was renown for being both noisy and smelly at both ends. Knowing that all chances of watching the match in relative peace and quiet were shot, I went round to my school mate's house in Headington Avenue to watch it.

I felt defeat breathing down the back of our necks when Clive Allen opened the scoring after two minutes and thought that this was going to be a massacre. I knew that Houchen's header was going to go down in history as one of the best goals ever scored in a cup final and was glad to witness that peice of history.

I remember the last minutes of extra time after Mabbutt had already sealed his place in the hearts of all Sky Blues fans everywhere, my mates mother couldn't watch and sat in the kitchen until it was all over.

When the final whistle did go, I rushed out of the house into the street and all I could hear was cheering from every house up and down the street. I savoured the moment knowing that it was something I was unlikely to hear again for a very log time if at all.

I stayed for the customary lifting of the cup and then made my way home. Running back down Beake Avenue back home to Owenford Road, every car on the road was adourned in Sky blue flags and penants and as we cheered to them, the cars beeped their horns in a celebratory response.

We'd done it and I was so proud of my team and of my City. One day and while I'm still young enough to enjoy it, I would like another moment like that.

 

[WillieStanley]

It's funny how little memories of youth stay in your head. I was 3 years old on May 16th 1987. I come from a family who relocated to Coventry in the 70's from Burton-On-Trent so most of whom are Derby County supporters (I owe my City supportership to my uncle from the same side who is Cov through and through). Even in that household, with the match on TV, that day stuck in my head growing up.

As Houchen scored, my Grandma was at the top of the stairs, fetching a dummy I had (politely) requested. In a rush to come and see the action replay, she tripped and broke her leg... but, stayed and watched the rest of the match in agony before going to Walsgrave to get it treated. I have crystal clear memories of that and of the atmosphere even in that non-City supporting Coventry household.

I was told years later, when I was describing it to a family member that that was the great day and it all seemed to click.

Truly magical!!

Could you imagine the City of Coventry stopping to a stand still should it happen again?

 

[torchomatic]

Our coach got stopped on the outskirts of Sheffield on the hard shoulder of the motorway by the police and they searched us for alcohol.

I remember feeling sick for most of the game until Gynny got the equaliser. That was a brilliant game.

My Dad didn't go to that and when I got home he still didn't know the score. That was in the pre-internet and 24 hour sports news days though.

Going to Hillsborough for the F.A Cup Semi final with a car full of people in a clapped out Triumph Dolomite which broke down 30 miles outside Sheffield.
We walked into a small village and knocked on a door, where an old lady opened her home to 6 drunken lads so we could ring a taxi. (well 5 and the driver who'd had 'one or two')
As we settled in to watch ‘Grandstand’ :laugh: the lady got us some tea and biscuits and basically treated us all like one of her family.
When the taxi arrived it was sky blue, with a dark blue bonnet and boot!!! The taxi driver was also a great bloke and got us to the stadium with 10 minutes to spare..
We got in just at kick off and the noise in the Kop End was immense.
I'll never forget one guy crying his eyes out at HT thinking the cup dream was over... then that second half....
After the game we searched around for people we knew to get lifts home and luckily got in the back of a van (which had a mattress in it) that got us home.
There was a Leeds fan in there also.. he was gutted!! hahahaha..
I was 15 and will never forget the old lady, taxi driver and van driver for thier good nature and generosity till the day I die…. WHAT. A. GAME…. WHAT. A. DAY!!!

 

[Moff]

Our coach got stopped on the outskirts of Sheffield on the hard shoulder of the motorway by the police and they searched us for alcohol.

I remember feeling sick for most of the game until Gynny got the equaliser. That was a brilliant game.

My Dad didn't go to that and when I got home he still didn't know the score. That was in the pre-internet and 24 hour sports news days though.

I went up in a car load for this one. Like you i felt sick, sick, sick until Gynny got the equaliser and after that I knew we would win.

Before that with Regis missing chance after chance, and with oggy making that fantastic save to keep us only 1 goal down, i had this ominous feeling, but then after Benno's never say die attitude got the ball back and he crossed for Gynny to score, i knew it was going to be our day and our year.

Funnilly enough i enjoyed the quarter final a lot lot more, and apart from the day out at Wembley, this was my favourite game of all the matches i attended of our run to the final, although it just pips our win at Old Tarfford.

 

[Macca]

The semi final was the greatest game I ever went to. The noise, tension, the fear of losing. Once we got to Wembley it was like a day out, no tension, we were going to lose anyway. Well that was how it felt until Benno scored and we then had a great period which made us believe we could do it. Biggest regret? Just being a wee bit too young to go out on the lash

 

[kdrinkell]

Never went to any games but remember watching the semis with my girlfriend on a black and white telly lol
Watched the final at my mates Kenelm Court,every car was beeping and I went to the Binley Hotel which was quite empty...was a tiring day

 

[skybluesam66]

3rd round - didnt go
4th round - in the city end - they started throwing coins at us (those nice mancuniancs) - I said to my mate - dont worry, we're too far back - just as one got me on my forehead - nice gash but didnt care, thanks to houchen bundling that ball over the line
5th round - tickets sold out straight away - couldnt get a ticket
QF - got train from blackpool where id been staying - getting train back afterwards, and 4 or 5 other city fans in the carriage
SF - just remember the m1 back down and the m69 - every bridge seemed to be sky blue
F - on the first train, we must have been there by about 10am. Had my ticket with cheshire FA stamped on back - got it at uni, as mates dad worked for the cheshire FA . £50 for 3 tickets (i think they should have been £6 each, so not too bad a price to pay)
in the pippin that night, and on ansty road where there were still cars coming back - every car sky blue
and on the sunday, the parade - 300000 people on the streets - amazing,

I dont think we will see the same again, as that was when the FA cup was bigger than winning the league and when there was no European football . That was THE trophy.
We were everywhere in the papers, Blue peter!!, all over the news all week . Amazing time of my life . Feel sorry for the young ones who missed it all, and hope that at some point we have a little bit of success for them . but we will never repeat that da

 

[warpau87]

I remember my first game I think 1995/96 (cov in there all sky blue Pony kit) season against Bolton.Wanderers we lost 0-2, I went with the Junior Sky Blues in the East Stand corner, I think the best game I went was Manchester.City 2001/02 4-3 win Thommo scoring a screamer.
And I always remember queing to get in against Reading on Boxing Day 2002/03 (I think) Partridge and Hignett scored atmosphere was electric that day!!

PUSB!!

 

[Houchens Head]

Sergt Pepper taught the bad to play

Surely that was 1947? Sgt Pepper was released in 1967, therefore "it was 20 years ago today" would have been 1947? Aren't I just the pedantic old git!

 

[c280uk]

Whatever happens to our club, I will never forget the fantastic memories of winning the FA Cup. One of the best matches I have ever seen. No matter how much heartache we suffer being Coventry fans. I will never support anybody else. Sky Blues forever

 

[blueflint]

beatin the shit out of wolves to win old 2nd div and get promotion to first priceless

 

[MusicDating]

As we may well be heading for another 'last-dayer', here are my memories of last game of the season matches -

02-05-1992 - Villa 2 Cov 0 - There was a load of a Cov in the Holte End who got chased out after a rendition of LAST and ran length of pitch towards rest of us away fans, Cyrille then scored after a matter of seconds, we hardly had a shot, lost 2-0, Villa cheering every 5 mins after misinformation about the Notts County v Luton match, where relegated County won 2-1 to keep us up, didn't really feel like celebrating after staying up by default.

05-05-1996 - Cov 0 Leeds 0 - Again played terrible and only stayed up on GD after Man City played keep ball in their 2-2 draw v Liverpool thinking they only needed a point facepalm, got popped on the pitch by some Leeds fan after mass pitch invasion at end, again didn't really feel like celebrating after staying up by default (that and my fat lip...).

Be nice to stay up at Southampton after a vintage display...:thinking about:

 

[BreweryChin]

Hi all,

I know it's increasingly difficult to celebrate the 25yr anniversary of our finest moment as we slip further away from ever repeating the feat, but I thought it might be an idea to keep a thread going of memories of the Cup run up until 16th May??

So...I was too young to go to the away matches, but as an 12yr old before the 3rd round match v Bolton I was given a signed football on the pitch for winning a 'Spot-the-difference' competition in a previous programme.

Also got free tickets for the Main Stand, so sat there with my Dad freezing in my parker jacket watching a straightforward win. (oh and the club lost the photo they took of my presentation...some things don't change...I've still got the ball though)

Anybody else go to the Bolton game??

PUSB

25 year or 35 year still happy days for Cov

 

[Clockstand Paddock]

25 year or 35 year still happy days for Cov

wont see the likes again in my lifetime

 

[BreweryChin]

here here, Speedie was class in your end too

 

[InThornWeTrust]

Doesn't get better than 87 simple as that. I'm in early 30s so don't remebet but we will never forget it and days like yesterday make us remember it nore.

 

[WillieStanley]

Has anyone been to the exhibition at the Herbert yet?

I went last Thursday. Very emotional. Unbelievable proud. It was also cool to see a few collectables on display that I also own.

 

[almac87]

beatin the shit out of wolves to win old 2nd div and get promotion to first priceless

I was there!! Myself and my 2 brothers were passed over the heads of the crowd and sat at the edge of the pitch. Best view I ever had at any game. Wouldnt happen now - H&S would have meant stopping the game. Could hear all the players specially Cov banter taking the bragging rights over Wolves PUSB praying for yet another miracle, now!!

 

[almac87]

The semi final was the greatest game I ever went to. The noise, tension, the fear of losing. Once we got to Wembley it was like a day out, no tension, we were going to lose anyway. Well that was how it felt until Benno scored and we then had a great period which made us believe we could do it. Biggest regret? Just being a wee bit too young to go out on the lash

I had to work on the day of the semi but Videod it so I could watch it undisturbed when I got home. I managed to avoid all billboards, TV announcements, radio, friends etc. and settled down to watch the VHS. After about an hor or so my (now ex) wife brought me yet another beer and asked me IS IT INTO EXTRA TIME YET!! DOH!!