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Do You Remember When… Ricky Otto Scored Twice In A 1-1 Draw?
The talk of a takeover and new money coming in after a period of austerity reminds me of Blues of the early nineties; in administration after the collapse of BCCI, on the verge of going bust before David Sullivan and the Gold brothers rolled up and bought the club up. Blues really were in the hole at the time; the ground was a mess, the team was pretty naff and the crowd sparse.
Before Blues signed Ricky Otto from Barry Fry’s former employers Southend United the club transfer record had stood for fourteen years. I remember when Sully et al came in there was talk of money being spent on players but it didn’t really materialise fully until the capture of Otto with the rebuilding of the Kop and the Tilton being first priority for the board at the time.
Boxing Day 1994 saw Ricky Otto make his debut. I was a mere strip of a lad of 16 at the time and being of an age when I could legally buy cigarettes and lottery tickets, I was considered old enough by my folks (who weren’t into football) to be able to go by myself to the game. So, like the billy-no-mates I was I took myself off up to the ground to watch the game – I remember sitting in the old railway stand looking at the rest of the ground and wondering how long it would be before the rest of the ground was done up. These days it’s 2012 and I’m still sat in the “old” stand – and I’m still kinda wondering when that one will get done up. Some things never change…
Otto was a strange signing really; Fry bought him and stuck him up front when it was quite clear that he wasn’t a striker. I’m not sure that I buy into the story that Fry signed him intentionally to fill in a gap on the wing so that he could then get another £800k for a striker; I can quite honestly believe Fry bought him thinking he was nippy and he could do a job up front but soon realised he couldn’t and then had to beg for more money for a player that could.
As the game goes – well, it’s some debut to score twice and the game to finish 1-1. Typically, both goals came at the wrong end for me – and until I watched them on video I couldn’t remember much about them. I think it’s fair to say the header was a much better effort – it’s just a shame it was into the wrong end, I guess.
Ricky went on to score six goals in all competitions including a belter against Liverpool in the FA Cup 3rd round replay and one in his second game away to Cardiff City, two days after his debut. However he never quite hit the highlights of his first season again, scoring only two more goals in only thirty more appearances in the remaining three years of his spell at Stans.
If you’ve got an hour or so to spare there is a really good interview with Ricky Otto in the following video where he talks about his life from being imprisoned four times as a teenager to his footballing career.
Tags: Ricky Otto
30 Responses to “Do You Remember When… Ricky Otto Scored Twice In A 1-1 Draw?”
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Do You Remember When… Ricky Otto Scored Twice In A 1-1 Draw?
Nope.
But I did see us put three past Cambridge United at the Abbey Stadium at the start of the 92/93 season without reply. That was our first year in the old Division One after three years in the third tier and — someone will correct me I am sure — but I am pretty sure we were top by Christmas with all looking rosy. We then went on a shocking slide and ended up getting relegated.
I am talking crap. We didn’t get relegated — that was 93-94 of course. But we were top in the 92-93 season for a while before slipping down the table, ending up 19th.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1992%E2%80%9393_Birmingham_City_F.C._season
Dont want to remember this scum wearing a Blues shirt,,,,,he assulted 2 of my daughters for refusing his unwanted advances in a night club in Broad St,,,,,he was then thrown out of the club by the bouncers,,,,,,the club hushed it up
He should have been arrested for that and taken to court.
I hope your daughters were OK
Seconded
Nothing was done to him what so ever,,,,,,thew drinks into their faces,,,,tried to punch the eldest one in the face,restrained by the bouncers, and all because the younger one refused to dance with him !,,,,,,[not a racial thing,,,,,she was following her upbringing,,,,,,,you dont go with strangers,,,,black or white,young or old
Why didn’t you report it to the police?
I wanted to,,,,,but my daughters didnt !
That’s often the way mate, that’s how these scum get away with it.
I remember when Blues played Albion at the Hawthorns and everytime Ricky Otto got the ball the Albion fans were on their feet. He had previously destroyed Albion whilst playing for Southend but unfortunately never replicated that for Blues. Otto was a talent that went to waste.
I seem to remember Ricky Otto being brought on as a sub by Barry Fry, having a crap 10 mins, then being substituted himself! How Barry made us laugh : )
Remember this game well as the opposing fans, who were seated in the lower tier of the Main Stand started chanting “there’s only one Ricky Otto”
KRO
I remember sitting in the Tilton with my two young sons when Otto was paraded around the ground as our record signing. ‘Look at that black c***” shouted an elderly Blues ‘fan ‘ immediately behind me. And we think we’ve got a problem with racism in soccer now ! To their credit both sons are still Bluenoses.
Another letdown whos abiding memory is of a gangsta style whip of me shirt at every opportunity and show off me scars. Every chance he got he’d have his shirt off.
Don’t remember the goal for but the own goal was one of the weirdest I’ve seen. From an opposition corner which went to the edge of the box Otto headed it straight into his own goal.
I am usually a silent obsever of this excellent blog but I felt the need to pipe up! This was my first ever blues game, I remember sitting in the main stand and it being absoulutley freezing and I was only 9 so don’t think I paid attention to the game in too much detail, either way, it got me hooked and I ended up having a season ticket for about 10 years after until I moved away. Keep up the good work!
KRO
I remember seeing RO at the Hawthorns and he wasn’t playing well. The Albion fans sang “Ricky’s on the ganja, Ricky’s on the ganja”. Even I found it amusing.
I remember that game well, it was back when being a Blues fan was exciting and you never knew what each new day would bring. You’ve gotta love Barry Fry!
On the note about Mr Otto assaulting 2 women in a cllub, thi9s surprises me as it’s difficult to marry up with the man I met in a professional capacity whilst working for the Probation Service. It seems that if he did do those things, then he has completely turned his life around and is now working in an extremely difficult job, helping youngsters turn their lives around.
With due respect I know who to believe regarding this,,,,,,he my have turned his life around now but that still does not excuse his behaviour then and my opinion of him will never change even if he now walks on water and is worshipped by all and sundry
These kind of people can easily con the probation service Mike.
I meant no disrespect nor was I saying that it didn’t happen, just that it surprised me to hear that. I apologise if I offended you.
Paul, he works for the service now but I do realise they are easy to con, they gave me a job after all!
Paul
considering the way you feel about Ricky Otto – how do you feel about registered sex offender Marlon King playing for Blues?
I agree with Almajir that Ricky Otto (overrated on the field) should, like anybody who goes in for assault, have been legally dealt with and I sympathise with any innocent person who is at the wrong end of such behaviour. However, to claim as the mis-named ‘voice of reason’ does when referring to Otto that, “These people can easily con the probation service’ has the whiff of racism about it. Reasonable? Forget it!
And was it OK for Lee Bowyer (whilst on Leeds’ books before he came to Blues) to hurl chairs about in a burger joint and refuse to be served by a “paki”?
I personally thought that his own nastiness towards women meant Blues should have avoided signing Marlon King.
I saw the first 3 seconds of the interview; it began with an opening line about the almighty….. think I’ll pass……..!
KRO
Strange how we all agree that racism is abhorrent yet religious intolerance is somehow acceptable!
Sorry for appearing to be making an attempt to take over the comments today !
As for racial intolerance and Religous Intolerance,,,,,,both instances are the result of mindless bigotry and intolerance of another persons beliefs,,,,,as long as people leave me alone to believe or not in any form of worship that causes no harm to others, what right do I have to protest the way they worship any form of divine being [ or beings] they chose
Racism is a form of jealousy regarding white v black,,,,,,,in one area I could be classed as racist,,,,,those buggers have a better sun tan than me,,,,apart from that cut a coloured bloke [or Chinese, Indian ] the bloods the same as yours or mine
Just don’t buy into the whole Adam & Eve lark – I wouldn’t mock someone though if they did believe.
KRO
On the pitch I thought he was entertaining enough, though that’s probably a reflection on where we were and had been recently at that time. For those who think it’s bad now, the very late eighties/early nineties were definitely the worst years I can remember as a blues fan.
Off the pitch, I defer to what’s been said above. A good mate of mine did say he’s played against Ricky Otto a few times on Hackney marshes prior to his professional days. His only comment was “you could see he wasn’t going to amount to very much”.
Obafemi notwithstanding, I’m not sure I’ve ever been part of a more vehement goal celebration than Liverpool away in the cup. I’ll always remember him for that.
That night was mental and had everything. Redknapp’s goal hit the post, came out and went in off Benno’s back if I recall. Kenny Lowe and Claridge combined to set up Otto for the equaliser – then we managed to miss all four of our penalties in the shoot out to lose 2-0.
I was in the lower tier of the centenary stand and the leg room was shocking.
Ricky Otto – the only player that looked like he was playing the game with his hands in his pockets! Brilliant!