Willie Carr graces the programme front page
On this day (7th September) in 1974 (now CCFPA member) Gordon Milne was five games into the 1974-75 Division One season and yet to see a win as his team took on the other team clad in light blue at Highfield Road in their sixth game with CCFC at the bottom and opponents Manchester City in the top four.
Sky Blue Colin Stein
Actually Gordon was away scouting so wouldn’t have seen a win even if it happened! The Sky Blues must have considered they did pretty well in the circumstances in sharing the spoils with a 2-2 draw in front of a modest 15,555 crowd. It was a cracking game including as it did two spectacular goals played in gale force winds.
Brian Alderson in the Sky Blue
City must have thought they had got their first win especially after (now CCFPA member) Colin Stein had put the Sky Blues 2-0 up after 53 minutes smashing home a rebound. City had previously taken the lead after nineteen minutes thanks to a Brian Alderson back header.
The victory wasn’t to be, however, as Manchester City came roaring back. First, their captain Rodney Marsh netted with a left footer with twenty minutes to go and then, even though Rodney looked offside, Alan Oakes blasted in the equaliser from fully 35 yards with just six minutes left before referee Spencer blew the final whistle!
Tough luck Sky Blues! One positive from the match was that the Sky Blues young defender (and now CCFPA member) Graham Oakey made a big impression on his debut!
The Sky Blues that did duty that day were (current CCFPA members are underlined):-
Sky Blue Manager Gordon
Graham in Sky Blue Action
Neil Ramsbottom, Graham Oakey, Chris Cattlin, Dennis Mortimer, the late Larry Lloyd, Alan Dugdale, Mick McGuire, the late Brian Alderson, Colin Stein, Willie Carr and Tommy Hutchison
Manchester City‘s team lined up as follows:-
Keith MacRae, Colin Barratt, Willie Donachie, Mike Doyle, Tommy Booth, Alan Oakes, Mike Summerbee, Colin Bell, Rodney Marsh, Asa Hartford and Dennis Tueart Referee: T.Spencer
Towards the end of March the teams met again for the return at Maine Road and the Sky Blues lost out by the only goal of the game, a penalty scored just after the hour mark by Dennis Tueart. Manchester City finished eighth in the League this season.
CCFC 1974-75
The Sky Blues eventually finished the season in relative safety in fourteenth spot in Division One, six points above the relegation positions which were occupied by Luton Town, Chelsea and bottom club Carlisle United.
At the other end of the table Derby County won the Division One title that year just two points ahead of both Liverpool (runners up) and third placed Ipswich Town!
Thanks to CCFPA’sMike Young (& Dean Nelson) for sourcing the images.
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