Coventry City FA Cup Final 1987

I totally agree MrD-Di. May 16th 1987 was indeed a never to be forgotten day. I'm afraid April 21st 2012 may also be never forgotten but for all the wrong reasons.

16 May 1987 was a wonderful day, we celebrated in style. I had my first taste of Barley Wine and have never drank any since. I agree, I think today is going to be a sad, sad day. But let's be positive for next season and hopefully we'll be back.

Hi all Thank you Tricia, as we all reflect on the two vital scores as today's games come to an end, and we are just down to ten men & down by a goal too. Being positive is essential as I believe that the financial state of English League football may well produce a lot more surprise outcomes than just the league positions at the end of the season as the weeks pass by. Several clubs do not own the shirts on their backs & have very 'iffy' balance sheets. I am sad, because of my feelings for those on our site who are passionate supporters of our cities football club. Our history site teams very best wishes to you all.

Sad sad day - especially given that this exhibition is on at the moment. As per the other threads I was at Wembley 25 years ago along with most of the earlier round games. Always recall getting on the supporters coach for the drive back to Coventry. It was totally silent - everyone was exhausted and had lost their voices from the shouting. Rumour now is we'll have to leave the Ricoh - Butts Park anyone? Sky Blue Forever!

Hi Steve, I am old enough to remember that great day well. Myself and my husband were watching on TV when we got a phone call from my daughter's friend, to say could we go pick her up from her house as she was seriously drunk. They had been watching the match and had helped themselves to her dad's drinks cabinet, mixing lager and spirits. They were only 16 years old and didn't realise the effect it would have on them. We had to abandon the match and take a sick bucket and towel in the car to pick our daughter up. Needless to say my husband was not best pleased to miss the end of the game. Daughter recovered enough in the evening to go and celebrate at the Burnt Post but she stuck to soft drinks thank goodness. Wonder if any of the forum members have got any happy or otherwise memories of that wonderful day.

Hi Mayjan My Pam remembers three of us sitting on our couch one minute, and then all three of us sitting on the floor, as the couch collapsed under our weight of landing.

Great memories of a great day in May 1987. I remember queueing up at the Wembley turnstiles with thousands of Coventry fans and one Spurs supporter! His claim for being at the Coventry end was 'well someone's got to show you lot the way here!' It was all very good natured! After a fantastic match when tears rolled down my cheeks as Brian Kilcline lifted the Cup, our journey home was equally memorable with fans on all of the motorway bridges as we neared Coventry. Walsgave Road was a mass of people of all ages, even dogs with Sky Blue scarves on. The police had Sky Blue ribbons on the aerials of their police motorcycles. It was rumoured that nobody in Coventry that famous Saturday night was arrested for drink driving! That may, however, be an urban myth! I just feel very fortunate to have been born in an era when City made history. Even if the Sky Blues won the Cup again nothing would ever match that historic day in May 1987.

Hey Mayjan, Where have you been? Yes, we can only imagine what it was like in Coventry on that eventful day-night so you had plenty to remember too then. We were all in front of the goggle box surrounded by everything that we did not have to get up from our seats for (food wise) and had a great night. Fully recorded so Tony goes back down memory lane now and again. Also, none of us got blotto either!!!!! That must have been an enjoyable game for you Steve last week, hope to hear more from you on here.

It was a fab day, I was there, it was the best time of my life, just to say that I was there when Coventry won the cup - what a day (and night and day again) sore head the next day as well. By the way did I hear that they are showing the whole game on Saturday in town??? I put some good photos on here under sad day for CCFC. Mod's Note: See covmanuk's photos here

I think everyone got caught up in "Sky Blue Fever" that famous day in 1987. My husband set off with two of his mates to see the game and I took a photo of them outside our house with their sky blue gear on carrying a massive banner. As for me I went to my mother-in-laws to watch the game with my mum and heavily pregnant sister-in-law. Even if you didn't like football you just wanted to be part of the day! It was so good for Coventry.

"Neils Yard" is right to say that this was a sad way to celebrate twenty five years since we made football history. Late of Ryton-on-Dunsmore and Cheylesmore in the fifties, my father joined De Havillands in Bournemouth. In 1987, I was serving in the RAF at HMS Warrior, just a few miles from Wembley. Still a keen footballer at 38, I managed to obtain a position as a steward for the great day courtesy of a colleague who had connections with Wasps Rugby Club who supervised the stewarding of events in those days. I was assigned to H57, if I recall and was fortunate that two policeman sent me towards the front of the upper terrace. Keith scored right in front of me, I saw the cross come in from Dave Bennett on the right and the crowd went up in anticipation. They were right too! I didn't see the ball cross the line, but I didn't need to. I have never heard a noise like it before or since. From then on in, we could have had five. George and John had great empathy with the city public, had a strong work ethic themselves and carried on what Jimmy had started. Jimmy never forgot the importance of the fans, a man who has, in my view, done more for the game of football than anyone else in this country. How was he not knighted? City were pioneers in so many ways in those days - programmes, entertainment before the game and during half time, the city train. One could go on and on! They epitomised a city of pioneers and it is easy to forget the industries that took shape in this most innovative of cities. Long may Godiva rule! The team that day did the city management and staff proud, not to mention the fans and the people of Coventry. I walked down to the tube with a man and his daughter who wore a sky blue cowboy type hat. I can see her now and she is clearly visible in the stands where Keith scored when you look back at the videos. My Dad and his lifelong friend from his school days, Jack Bloxham - both ex British Aerospace at Hurn - watched the match at home. Jack was also from Ryton-on-Dunsmore and his family name can be seen on the war memorial by the London Road. They are no longer with us but I am pleased that they lived long enough to experience that day. My dad was a very good footballer who played for Ryton-on-Dunsmore and Jack was an exceptional footballer who once told me that it helped him get jobs at other factories in the city! How could it all go so wrong, leaving Highfield Road was certainly a factor. We rarely lost more than a few games there each season. I only hope that the young fans of today will experience what those of my generation have sometime in the future. The rise through the sixties was so exciting and the final in 87, was the icing on the cake of a very long journey. Football and the city have given me so much pleasure in life. Not a day goes by without me thinking of something that happened on that hot and sunny day. I still have my flag and all the papers that I could buy. My son went to Coventry University and still lives in the city, many years later. The Herbert has always been a great museum and I hope to visit soon. Like the Transport Museum, it has the city in its heart. Long may they both prosper to document the history of our great city. The city face a long and difficult road methinks. Lets hope everyone gets behind them. They are all we have. The Butts was also a small area of Ryton alongside the London road long after the war. Whereever we play, does the Ricoh have a future itself without us? The mind boggles. Greg North

Thank you for your great post Greg, and welcome to our forum There are many troubled times ahead - I just hope and pray we, as a club and a city, can overcome them.

Agreed guys - though if there's one thing that brightened my hope for the future of the club it was taking my youngest to his first match against Brum this season. He's only 5 but footie mad and the joy on his face when we scored brought back memories for me at my first match at Highfield Road in the mid 70's. He loves the Sky Blues now - it's well and truly instilled for life!

Great to see and great to remember. Tony. (Dreamtime's better half)

Uploaded To Memories Of Coventry 1987 - Sky Blue fountain outside The Belgrade Theatre, was dyed blue when Coventry won the cup. - Copyright wetbicycleclappersoup 1987 - Sky Blue Fountain dyed blue in celebration of Coventry City FC (the Sky Blues) reaching the FA Cup Final for the first (and so far, only) time - Copyright E Gammie and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence Happier times for Coventry City fans waiting for the 1987 FA Cup winners buses by Walsgrave Hospital Coventry. - Copyright nexapt101 FA Cup Day - 1987 - Wyken Pippin roof - Copyright & acknowledgment to John Weir Commemorative Beer Sky Blues 1987 - Co-op roof - Ansty Road I think. - Copyright & acknowledgment to John Weir Owen Owen 1987 FA Cup day - Copyright & acknowledgment to Philip Sephton