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By Jim Brown
The 1991-92 season will go down as one of the most chaotic in Coventry City’s turbulent history. Off the field the club had two chairman, two managers and three assistant managers and City fans were put through the sort of nail-biting finale that they thought they had left behind in the mid-eighties.
Terry Butcher made four additions to his squad. Stewart Robson made his move from West Ham permanent on a free transfer. Enfield striker, Paul Furlong was signed for £100,000. Exciting Zimbabwean, Peter Ndlovu, spotted by John Sillett in 1990, signed from Bulawayo Highlanders for £10,000. Ndlovu quickly showed that he was one of the most skilful players the club had ever had. Finally goalkeeper Clive Baker arrived from Barnsley as cover for Oggy.
1987 Cup Final heroes Cyrille Regis and Brian Kilcline left, Regis joining Aston Villa on a free transfer and Killer joining newly promoted Oldham for £400,000.
A three match pre-season tour of Scotland was overshadowed by the sending home of Kenny Sansom, Trevor Peake and Lloyd McGrath who had been caught having an innocent drink less than 48 hours before a game. They were all heavily fined and placed on the transfer list as Butcher made examples of them.
Within the first week of the season Peake was on his way to Luton for £100,000, a deal that paved the way for the signing of young Wigan defender Peter Atherton for £300,000.
Despite lying in the top six early in the season, the form was patchy- both Man City and Wimbledon had won at Highfield Road – but an amazing win at Arsenal, inspired by Ndlovu’s first goal, showed that on their day they were capable of beating the best.
Five successive defeats in October was a reality check and on November 9 amid rumours of financial problems and the sale of Gallacher, chairman Poynton resigned. The new man at the helm was Peter Robins, son of 1960’s benefactor Derrick, supported by former Warwickshire cricketer Bryan Richardson and London lawyer Michael Jepson. Within days Butcher had to sack his assistant Mick Mills and reserve team coach Brian Eastick and replaced them with the vastly experienced Don Howe. A Rumbelows Cup win over Arsenal and a home win over Southampton were the only respite for an increasingly pressurised Butcher, who announced his retirement from playing in November after a rusty performance against Villa in the Zenith Data Cup ended with a red card.
December was a bad month. Spurs grabbed a late victory to knock City out of the Rumbelows Cup and defeats at Old Trafford and Luton saw City slide nearer the relegation zone. A New Years day defeat against Tottenham and a home FA Cup draw with Cambridge however forced Robins’ hand and Butcher was shown the door.
Robins indicated that he had tried to re-negotiate the manager’s contract to reflect the fact that he had retired as a player, an issue that would result in a court case between the two parties. With the Premier League and all it’s perceived crocks of gold looming in the forthcoming season the board felt it necessary to make changes at the top sooner rather than later. Assistant Don Howe was asked to take over as caretaker but was told there was no money to spend.
Howe couldn’t stop an FA Cup defeat at Cambridge but took action to tighten the defence albeit at the expense of the goals for column. Drab, dour football was the result and although only one game in nine was lost, there were four goal-less draws. Things looked quite comfortable until mid March when successive defeats against Tottenham and Arsenal meant that City would have to fight to the death for survival.
Deflected goals cost them the points at Notts County and then at home to Everton. Their bad luck continued when Lloyd McGrath was sent off in the televised clash with champions elect, Leeds, on Easter Monday for deliberate handball when TV replays suggested the ball had struck his knee.
As City were struggling while still not playing badly Luton were closing the gap. City finally managed their first home win since November against West Ham to set up a memorable final day at Villa Park. Notts County and West Ham were already relegated and Luton, who were two points behind City were away to Notts County. With the Sky Blues having a superior goal difference a point would be sufficient for safety.
Within twenty-one seconds City’s hopes of even a point were thin as their former star Cyrille Regis put Villa ahead. News that Luton were ahead at Meadow Lane and a second Villa goal left City in the bottom three for the first time in the season and the fans almost resigned to relegation. With time slipping away Rob Matthews secured City’s safety with two goals for Notts County sending Luton down.
After the nail-biting finale a champagne swilling Robins vowed that the club would not struggle again and that he would be spending £2-3 million to ensure it. Where did we hear that before?
