Mark in the Sky Blue
Manager Dave Sexton on the run
On this day (24th October) in 1981 City manager Dave Sexton was in his first season in charge and after good home wins against Manchester United, Leeds United and Southampton, only Liverpool had taken all the points away from Highfield Road so far.
Swansea Town were today’s visitors and came to Highfield Road on the crest of a wave having achieved top spot in their first ever season in Division One. The Sky Blues soon put an end to that!
The home of the Sky Blues was now all-seater and a disappointingly low 14,033 was there to see today’s action. In fact the season’s home attendance average was the worst since the Sky Blue era began in 1961-62. Future Sky Bob Latchford was in the Swans side.
‘Rudi’ in Sky Blue Action
Though Irish international (and CCFPA member) Gerry Daly was still out of the team, a classy Sky Blues display saw them sweep the Swans aside, winning the game 3-1 with first half goals from young centre forward Mark Hateley (37 minutes) and Belgian Ruud Kaiser (both now Association members) two minutes later to give a 2-0 half-time advantage.
Mark got his second (also a a close range finish after good work by the two Sky Blues’ Steve‘s, Hunt and Whitton) after 53 minutes to make it 3-0. The Swans’ Alan Curtis got their consolation with fifteen minutes to play and the Sky Blues rode out a fairly comfortable victory sending the Welsh club back to the principality empty handed.
Sexton’s Sky Blues that day were:-
Jim Blyth, Danny Thomas, Brian Roberts, Steve Jacobs, Paul Dyson, Gary Gillespie, Ruud Kaiser, Steve Whitton, Garry Thompson, Mark Hateley and Steve Hunt. Unused Sub. Ray Gooding.
Of this group of players, only Steve Whitton has, so far, not signed up to this Former Player’s Association since hanging up his boots.
Player-Manager John Toshack‘s Swans’ team lined up:-
Dai Davies, Neil Robinson, Gary Stanley, Ante Rajkovic, Colin Irwin (c), John Mahoney, Alan Curtis, Robbie James, Leighton James, Max Thompson (sub. Chris Marustik) and Bob Latchford Referee:- M.Lowe
The return in Mid March at the Vetch proved a stalemate, a goalless draw.
CCFC 1981-82
The Sky Blues finished the 1981-82 season in fourteenth spot in Division One and Swansea only faded slightly ending up in a creditable sixth spot. It was Liverpool‘s title finishing four points ahead of Ipswich Town.
Leeds United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and (bottom club) Middlesbrough suffered the ignominy of relegation.
Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young (& Dean Nelson) for sourcing the images.
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