1984/85 Season Review

Melchester Rovers started the season really well with another super-strong squad. England international Carl Hunt was added to be the all-round midfield dynamo that Rovers were missing. The great league form saw Roy, Hunt and Neville Jones called up to the England squad for the match versus France, where Roy was reunited with an old foe, Carlos Villar. Villar had kicked Roy out of a European match in the 70s while playing for Real Santana and now he was not just manager of the Spanish Cup Winners but also the French national team.

As F.A. Cup winners Rovers embarked on their European Cup Winners Cup campaign against Bokeren from Belgium, who they knocked out 5-0 on aggregate. Setting up a semi-final against the West Germans Stahlberg. The other semi featured Scottish side Glenmore Rangers against Real Santana. Villar was up to his old tricks instructing his fearsome defenders to kick the life out of the Scots. Duncan McKay's brother, Bob was the first victim, a terrible tackle from Basora breaking his leg.

Santana won as did Rovers, so Roy would face-off against Villar in the Final. With revenge on their minds Rovers took the field and took all the knocks. With the score at two-each, Duncan won a penalty, he took it himself, but feeling the pressure blazed wide. The match went to penalties.

McKay scored, as did Perez, Guthrie scored, as did the Spaniards, then Roy made it 3-2 to Rovers. Young Andy Styles saved the next pen and Carl Hunt put Rovers 4-2 up. Styles could not stop the next penalty giving Blackie Gray the chance to score the winning kick. He did and Melchester Rovers were the Cup Winners Cup Winners!

1984/85 Melchester Rovers Season, players, opponents, line-ups, scorers
 
League: Top half
League Cup: Fourth Round (Lost to Deans Park)
F.A. Cup: Unknown
Cup Winners Cup: Champions

Squad:
G - Styles, Carter, Williams
D - Baxter, McKay, Naylor, Guthrie, Butler
M - Gray, Hunt, Wallace, Slade, Cassidy
F - Race, Logan, Jones, Richards, Ritchie

Line-up (4-3-3):
1984/85 Melchester Rovers Formation, Line-up, Players

Players in:
Carl Hunt (Carford), Andy Styles (Youth), Mark Butler (Youth/Holverton signed in '82)

Players out:
Nat Gosden (Retired)

1985 Cup Winners Cup Final Melchester Rovers v Real Santana

Notes:
- Rovers were leading 3-2 against Everpool when it was abandoned
- Rovers faced Dynamo Bresden in Japan in the European Super Cup

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1 Comments

  1. My first season ordering the comic weekly as a nine year old from my local newsagent.looked forward to finding out melchester rovers results as much as swansea and tottenham scores

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