Roy Wegerle - from Tampa Bay to his time at Highfield Road

Swindon Town’s only season in the top flight came in 1993/94. The Wiltshire club, led by John Gorman, won just five games, conceded 100 goals but made many friends with their pass and move style, inspired by former manager Glenn Hoddle. During the season a Norwegian international bagged their only hat-trick, a former FA Cup winning captain shored up their back line and Sky cameras missed their last minute leveller at Highfield Road.

In April 1993 Kevin Gallacher departed Highfield Road in a swap deal with Blackburn Rovers’ Roy Wegerle. Until his departure in the close season of 1995 the USA international appeared 63 times and scored on 11 occasions for City.

 

The visit of Swindon was broadcast to the nation and it was Wegerle’s fine finish from a move inspired by Chris Marsden that looked to have taken the points until Andy Mutch’s non-televised last gasp leveller stunned the sky blue hordes (forward to 3:40 mins and also check out Richard Keys' jacket).

City 1 Swindon 1 January 1994

The return fixture at the County Ground brought a 3-1 defeat for City as Jan Aage Fjortoft bagged a treble and Brian Kilcline kept City's strikers at bay. Julian Darby netted for the Sky Blues on a cold February day in front of just over 14000 supporters.

Swindon 3 City 1 February 1994

Wegerle inspired an eight-game unbeaten run at the beginning of 1993/94 which included the 3-0 triumph at Arsenal, a 1-0 at home to Liverpool and the late comeback (2-1) at home to Newcastle when Mick Harford headed the winner. Bobby Gould played Wegerle in a floating role which befitted his undoubted talent. His quick feet and creative passing brought chances galore for Mick Quinn and Peter Ndlovu as the Sky Blues entertained the supporters. They ended ‘93/94 in 11^th position and completed the double over both Arsenal and Tottenham.

One of Wegerle’s finest moments in football came at Elland Road as he waltzed through Leeds’ defence in a QPR shirt as you can see below - an artist at work - a player who was able to hold the crowd’s attention with his trickery and invention.

Roy Wegerle's finest moment

With four of the Sky Blues’ squad numbers over 30 it highlights the wind of change at the Ricoh. Introducing fines for poor marking at set-pieces amongst others is an interesting move and Robins’ disciplined aura seems to have gone down well with the City support after the Hi-di-Hi tenure. It’s about time there was a shake-up at the Ricoh, we pay hard earned cash (travel and ticket) to watch our side and have each spent thousands of pounds down the years. Mark Robins appears to see what we have all been seeing for years, finally, finally we might just have found the man to take us forward after years of being stuck in reverse.  A 4-0 away win is a great start to the week, bring on Di Canio and his Wiltshire wonders.

Chris Marsden - the one City let slip away

The Sky Blues’ second Premier League season saw the brief introduction of the midfield playmaker we hope recent signing John Fleck will mirror. Signed on loan from Huddersfield Town, Phil Neal’s signing of Chris Marsden in the winter of 1993 was a masterstroke. The balding left-footer dovetailed perfectly with Roy Wegerle and Peter Ndlovu as Neal’s side hovered in mid-table. When it came to signing him on a permanent deal his injury record stalled the City hierarchy and Wolves took him to Molineux.

Marsden’s seven appearances showed the City faithful his ability to link the play with neat passing, keeping the team moving forward. An excellent example is displayed in the clip below as Sky Sports’ ‘Monday Night Football’ featured newly promoted Swindon Town’s visit to Highfield Road. Marsden’s break from his own area (forward to 3:40 mins) set up Sean Flynn to send Wegerle racing clear to score and City led as the clock ticked to 88 minutes. Then came the comical moment when Sky’s cameras lost the live pictures leaving host Richard Keys to discuss with guest Terry Yorath how City deserved the win. Moments later his demeanour altered to break the shock news of Andy Mutch’s late leveller, witnessed only by supporters in the ground.

City v Swindon Town January 1994 Highfield Road

In Neal’s wisdom he allowed Marsden to sign for our Black Country neighbours before spells with Notts County, Stockport and Birmingham propelled him to five seasons back in the top flight with Southampton. His replacement at City was Sandy Robertson, a midfielder labelled by Rangers then manager Graeme Souness as the ‘best young player in Britain’. He signed for £250,000 in the week Marsden departed but his spell at Highfield Road did not work out and he would make just four substitute appearances before Dundee United took him back home. Let’s hope the similarity (Rangers) with Fleck ends there as Andy Thorn’s ‘bang, bang, bang’ transfer policy sweeps into action and revives fan optimism for the coming season.

With the ever dependable Martin Cranie departing along with Gael Bigirimana and James McPake, we await Richard Keogh’s plans for 2012/13. Bursting through the revolving door, the signing of Stephen Elliott appeared from nowhere while we warded off a number of suitors for Fleck and Kilbane which is a first for us as a club in recent years. We normally lose out in transfer wars mirroring the way we lost out on the pitch last season. The new arrivals must bring in a winning mentality, the last time we won a game after trailing was Watford in 2009, it’s far too long, needs rectifying and will be tested on day one at Yeovil Town.