By CCFC Sid
April 22 2005

It's unlikely that Michael Gynn will have to do any overtime at work for the forseeable future, as just under 9,500 supporters finally got the chance to say "thanks" to a loyal servant to Coventry City - better late than never. My personal hopes that a lot of those that didn't bother with CCFC before we beat Spurs, and/or those that haven't bothered coming back since, might come along, ended in disappointment - though more people than were expected did turn up, resulting in a delay to the time of the kick-off. Selling tickets for the West Terrace, then not bothering to open it, didn't help matters....

Michael Gynn had hoped for Coventry City 1987 to play the Spurs 1987 side, but, with Ray Clemence unable to play due to illness (Good luck to him, and let's hope he makes a full recovery), a Spurs All Stars team made up the opposition. Said side was supposed to include Paul Gascgoine too, but he didn't show (Having accidentally glimpsed minutes of a certain Channel 4 programme today, it seems all is still not well with Gazza either. Again, get well soon sir....).

While sitting in the East Terrace waiting to let the paying public in, the two teams filed past me, players worth multi-millions in their day! (I resisted the temptation to ask Mickey Thomas to "lend me a fiver!", despite the fact I bet he's never heard that gag before....) - Ian Rush, Chris Waddle, Clive Allen and Sir Tommy Hutchinson, to name but four!

The hairlines might have got thinner, while the waistlines have got bigger, but there were still moments of quality from most of those on view last night - especially Mark Walters - and probably not just because their opponents were even slower!!

One of the stars of the show was 57 year old Tommy Hutchinson (Who I overheard speaking to Tim Flowers before the match, saying: "It was great here [Highfield Road]"), who gave a lesson in how to deliver a decent cross to some of the current CCFC players that had turned up to watch! One absolute peach set up David Speedie, who headed narrowly wide. And Speedie showed he had lost none of the old aggression, venting his frustration at missing! (Quite regularly!).

Sir Hutch's appearance could have confused the lad in front of me in the queue for F.A. Cup Final tickets - who genuinely asked his friend: `Who's the manager these days?', and `Is Tommy Hutchinson still playing for Coventry?' - had he ventured up for the first time in 18 years, and seen the legend that is TH is still playing!

The ball had hardly left the Spurs All Stars half during the first quarter of an hour (With CCFC playing the offside trap from the halfway line), but, when it did, Ian Rush opened the scoring! He always did like playing against CCFC....

While that might not have been in the script, CCFC winning a penalty, and Michael Gynn scoring it, was (Predicted before kick-off) - and on 19 minutes, it happened! Cyrille Regis was fouled in the area, and captain for the night Michael Gynn equalised.

Two minutes later Steve Bull regained the lead for the All Stars, and it should have been 3-1 soon after, and would have been but for a spectacular save by Steve Ogrozovic from Mark Walters - which was greeted by chants of: "England's Number one"!!! Minutes later he enhanced his reputation with a penalty save.

Some of the match was pure pantomime, with Mickey Thomas making an error that almost allowed Michael Gynn to score, then dropping to the floor to do press-ups as a punishment (Which brought laughter from all sides of the ground) - a stunt Mickey Quinn was to copy later, though he collapsed after half a press-up!!

Dave Bennett (Who treated CCFC fans to the fairly unseen site of a header from the former wing wonder early on!) then almost re-created the run that led to CCFC's equaliser on that glorious day, but was foiled this time by keeper Dale Belford. Bennett was then winded by a ferocious cross or shot by Greg Downs, that smashed him in the back, taking the wind out of his sales!

As if to show this was a special night, the tannoy announcement that Leicester had scored against Cardiff was greeted with a massive cheer from the crowd!! (And later on, the substituting of the referee for Coventry's very own Kieran Barrett, was also cheered!).

A Speedie free kick was excellently put away by Cyrille Regis on 31 minutes, who nipped in ahead of the opposition keeper to put CCFC 87 on level terms.

A cracking effort from Walters (Lobbing Ogrozovic) made it 3-2 on 35 minutes, and the same player hit the angle of post and bar four minutes later. An acrobatic effort from David Speedie also hit the post a couple of minutes later, his effort hitting the inside of the post before bouncing to safety.

Regis chest trap left him with a fairly simple effort to equalise, but from five yards out, his effort went 10 yards over! Then came the nights first - but certainly not the last! - substitution of the night, with Sedgley replacing McGrath.

Half-time: CCFC 87 2 - 3 Spurs All Stars

Attempts to replace David Speedie early in the first half saw him suggest to John Sillett that he should wait for two minutes(!), then that he should wait 'til there's a half-moon(!). Later on it was announced that Speedie had been replaced, though I was fairly sure he was still on the pitch....!!

Quality wing-play from Tommy Hutchinson saw Michael Gynn make it 3-3 on 52 minutes, and five minutes later a soft goal (Scored by Steve Bull) made it 3-4.

Dave Busst, scorer of a quality header in a proper fixture between these sides while wearing the Sky Blue of Coventry City, scored for CCFC against Spurs again - this time wearing the white of Tottenham! 4-4.

Just past the hour mark Tommy Hutchinson was replaced (The substitutions continued on as regular a basis as an England friendly for the last 20 minutes!), receiving generous applause from those that had seem him in his prime, and from those unfortunate not to have, but who could clearly tell from the night that everything said about him was true! I doubt there will ever be another....

A Paul Culpin cross on 69 minutes resulted in a Houchen-esque goal for the Sky compere Richard Keys!! Whether he actually meant it, or just threw himself in the general direction of the ball, only he knows, but it looked impressive!! 5-4.

The goals flowed in thick and fast as legs grew weary, and, as a consequence, less notes were taken, as I was spending to much of the match writing, and not enough watching!! But here's the basics of the last 20 minutes....

My prediction of a 6-4 scoreline was ended as Steve Bull netted again for the opposition on 71 minutes, though David Speedie or Paul Culpin regained the lead for CCFC 87 soon after (Speedie's excellent lob was possibly over the line before Paul Culpin touched the ball!). 6-5

Steve Bull equalised on 76 minutes, and Walters gave the opposition the lead two minutes later.

Kieran Barrett's introduction should have resulted in a certain amount of bias towards the home side, but didn't!!

With three minutes left Michael Gynn was replaced, so he could receive the cheers of those that had turned up to say thanks (To steal a quality quote from elsewhere: "But the fans were brilliant. They gave me a great ovation which made me smile because the last time I was subbed I think I got booed"!!!).

Paul Culpin was given a chance to bring the scores level with seconds left on the clock, but somehow managed to make his shot go backwards! The ball was delivered to Dave Phillips, who scored a cracker of a goal to make the scores on the night 7-7!

Straight after the final whistle John Sillett wandered onto the pitch to give a speech about the man of the night, which was followed by Michael Gynn himself saying a few words - with those words including the fact that Bryan Richardson had denied him the testimonial he so deserved.

With the average stay at Highfield Road for most players seemingly being no more than 18 months nowadays, this is possibly the last time such an event will happen (Richard Shaw might qualify I guess, though I'm sure he's made far more money out of the game than MG ever did), which is a shame as the match was well worth the entrance fee (At a mere £10 for adults, and £5 for children), and provided a welcome relief from the stress of another relegation battle....

Nowadays, it seems even over-rated youngsters of no fixed ability are earning ludicrous sums of money, for doing nothing more than acting like stars before drifting out of football. Mr. Gynn was an entertainer, who frequently got the crowd out of their seats as he put his head down and sped off in the general direction of the opposition goal! And his contribution to CCFC's cup final win was as invaluable as just about anybody involved too.