Sky Blue Manager Gordon
On this day (April 19th) in 1975 long time manager of the Sky Blues, and now a CCFPA member, Gordon Milne had piloted his team to the penultimate match of a reasonably successful Division One campaign. Today’s opponents at the Boleyn ground were homesters West Ham United with whom we had shared two goals in a draw at Highfield Road back the previous October. Then, two CCFPA members got the goals for each side, Tommy Hutchison on seventy minutes for City and seven minutes later former Sky Blue Bobby Gould got the equaliser for the Hammers.
Bobby in Sky Blue 1967
By today’s game the advantage was probably already with the Sky Blues as the Hammers had not won in the last seven outings and were conscious that they had a Wembley Final to come. The Sky Blues got their victory by the odd goal in three but the score was only part of the story. Bobby was in the Hammers forward line again alongside another former Sky Blue Graham Paddon!
Alan Green in the Sky Blue
The Sky Blues were able to take a quick lead, in the third minute, as our diminutive forward (and now a CCFPA member) Alan Green prodded in after a long ball caused panic in the Hammers defence. After eight minutes City’s full back, Chris Cattlin was sent off for retaliating to a tackle from old team-mate Gouldy (both are now CCFPA members)! The Sky Blues were therefore forced to battle on with ten men for 82 minutes and succeeded admirably.
Dennis in the Sky Blue
Although the Hammers’ Patsy Holland headed an equaliser a minute from the break, the Sky Blues Dennis Mortimer replied almost immediately from a free kick to send the Sky Blues in 2-1 up at half-time, and that remained the score at close of play. The Sky Blue fans among the 27,431 London crowd went home very happy.
Milne’s men that day comprised:-
Neil Ramsbottom, Graham Oakey, Chris Cattlin, the late John Craven, the late Larry Lloyd, Alan Dugdale, Dennis Mortimer, Jim Holmes, Mick Ferguson, Alan Green and Tommy Hutchison.
Apart from John and Larry all members of this team as well as manager Milne later joined CCFPA. Great to see Chris, Jim and Tommy back in Coventry for our and CCFC’s Legends Day 2025 FP Reunion and Chris, Jim and Dennis were back here a few weeks back for LD26!
The referee on this day was Ray Tinkler. The Hammers side is depicted in the graphic below:-
The Sky Blues ended this 1974-75 Division One season safe enough in fourteenth spot whilst the Hammers were tucked in just a place above them. Derby County took the title from runners up Liverpool and third place (but on equal points) Ipswich Town.
Luton Town, Chelsea and (bottom) Carlisle United were the three relegated clubs.
CCFC 1974-75
Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images (& Dean Nelson the graphic).
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