ImageOn this day (7th November) in 1970, having three days earlier beaten the mighty Bayern Munich at home (but been eliminated from the European Fairs Cup by them), Noel Cantwell‘s Sky Blues received the team from the ‘Light Blue’ side of Manchester at Highfield Road for a Division One fixture.
A crowd of 25,287 were packed into the home of the Sky Blues and saw a red blooded encounter. It was the Sky Blues who started off the game fastest and they found themselves two goals to the good within the first twenty minutes. Future Sky Blue gaffer Joe Mercer was in charge at Maine Road and his team ensured the match was not decided until the final whistle with the Sky Blues hanging on to a 2-1 lead like grim death, in a nail biting finale.
Action in the Manchester City goal mouth
Willie in the Sky Blue
CCFC were gifted a wonderful start by the visitor’s Mike Doyle who put through his own net as early as the second minute. Then, in the nineteenth minute, CCFC’s flame haired Scottish forward Willie Carr produced a gem of a strike after collecting a pass from (his now fellow CCFPA member) Dave Clements. The Sky Blues John O’Rourke also failed with two good chances as the first half went the Sky Blues way and finished 2-0.
However, Mercer’s men came roaring back in the second period and fourteen minutes from time their excellent Colin Bell rifled in a shot past (now CCFPA member) Bill Glazier after being set up by midfielder Alan Oakes. The last quarter was a full on battle but Cantwell’s crew survived the onslaught and came away with the points.
CCFC’s Manager, Noel Cantwell
Cantwell’s CCFC that day comprised:-
Bill Glazier, Mick Coop, Wilf Smith, Dennis Mortimer, Jeff Blockley, the late Geoff Strong, the late ‘Ernie’ Hunt, Willie Carr, Neil Martin, the late John O’Rourke and Dave Clements.
We are pleased to say that all of these former players apart from Geoff later went on to join CCFPA.
Manchester City‘s team was as follows:-
Joe Corrigan, Arthur Mann, Glyn Pardoe, Mike Doyle, George Heslop, Alan Oakes, Ian Bowyer, Colin Bell, ‘Franny’ Lee, Freddie Hill and Tony Towers Referee:- M.Sinclair
John O’Rourke
The Sky Blues nearly did the double over Manchester City. In the return game at Maine Road the following March it took an 85th minute equaliser from ‘Franny’ Lee to cancel out a first half John O’Rourke strike just after the half hour and rob CCFC of the points.
The Coventry Sky Blues finished a creditable and comfortable tenth in Division One in the season which also included their sole foray into European cup football. The Manchester light blues were just below them a point behind!
Arsenal took the Division One title by a point from Leeds United whilst Burnley and bottom club Blackpool were relegated to Division Two.
Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young (& Dean Nelson) for sourcing the images.
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