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1986–87 Coventry City F.C. season
Manager England John Sillett
Stadium Highfield Road
First Division 10th
FA Cup Winners
League CupFourth round
Full Members CupSecond round
Top goalscorerLeague:
Cyrille Regis (12)

All:
Cyrille Regis (16)
←  1985–86
1987–88 →

During the 1986–87 English football season, Coventry City competed in the Football League First Division.

Season summary

Coventry City won the FA Cup, defeating Tottenham Hotspur, who had spent much of the season competing for a unique domestic treble of the league and the League and FA Cups, 3–2 in a final considered by many[ who?] to be one of the greatest FA Cup finals of all time. The FA Cup triumph was Coventry's first (and, as of 2024, only) major trophy. The only downside to Coventry's victory was UEFA's decision to extend the ban on English teams competing in European competition to a third season, denying Coventry a place in the European Cup Winners' Cup.

Players

First-team squad

Squad at end of season [1]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
GK England  ENG Steve Ogrizovic
DF England  ENG Micky Adams
DF England  ENG Brian Borrows
DF England  ENG Tony Dobson
DF England  ENG Greg Downs
DF England  ENG Brian Kilcline (captain)
DF England  ENG Martin Lane
DF England  ENG Trevor Peake
DF England  ENG Graham Rodger [notes 1]
DF England  ENG Steve Sedgley
MF England  ENG Dave Bennett
No. Pos. Nation Player
MF England  ENG Micky Gynn
MF England  ENG Lloyd McGrath
MF England  ENG Nick Pickering
MF England  ENG David Smith
MF Wales  WAL David Phillips [notes 2]
FW England  ENG Paul Culpin
FW England  ENG Keith Houchen
FW England  ENG Steve Livingstone
FW England  ENG Ian Painter
FW England  ENG Cyrille Regis [notes 3]

Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
MF England  ENG Andy Williams (to Rotherham United)
No. Pos. Nation Player
FW England  ENG Gareth Evans (to Rotherham United)

Transfers

In

Out

Results

FA Cup

Third round

Fourth round

Fifth round

Sixth Round

Semi-final

Coventry City3–2
( a.e.t.)
Leeds United
Gynn 68'
Houchen 77'
Bennett 99'
Report Rennie 14'
Edwards 83'
Attendance: 51,372
Referee: Roger Milford

Final

Coventry City3 – 2
(aet)
Tottenham Hotspur
Bennett 9'
Houchen 64'
Mabbutt ( o.g.) 96'
C. Allen 2'
Mabbutt 40'
Wembley, London
Attendance: 98,000
Coventry
Tottenham

After only two minutes, Clive Allen scored his 49th goal of the season, heading past keeper Steve Ogrizovic at the near-post from a perfect Chris Waddle cross. Within seven minutes though, the Sky Blues were level through Dave Bennett, a Cup Final loser in 1981 for Manchester City, ironically at the hands of Spurs.

The London club were back in front five minutes before the break through past defender Gary Mabbutt. Midway through the second half Coventry were level again – Bennett's pinpoint cross from the right was met by striker Keith Houchen with a diving header for a memorable goal.

The scores stayed level until full-time and the game went into extra time. Six minutes in, Mabbutt scored an own goal after Lloyd McGrath centred the ball and it took a deflection off of the Spurs defender's knee and over keeper Ray Clemence.

English League Cup

Second round

Third round

Fourth round

References

  1. ^ "All Coventry City players: 1987".

Notes

  1. ^ Rodger was born in Glasgow, Scotland, but also qualified to represent England internationally and represented them at U-21 level.
  2. ^ Phillips was born in Wegberg, West Germany (now Germany), but also qualified to represent Wales internationally and made his international debut for Wales in May 1984.
  3. ^ Regis was born in Maripasoula, French Guiana, and qualified to represent France internationally, but was raised in England from the age of 5 and represented them at U-21 and B level before making his international debut for England in February 1982.