CCFC’s Ken McPherson
On this last day of the month (31st March) way back in 1956 Coventry City were a fair to middling Division Three South side under the management of George Raynor who had taken over from Jesse Carver at the turn of this year. George had a globe trotting managerial career, coming to Coventry from top Italian club Lazio and then going on to manage the Sweden National XI. Among others in 1955 he signed for City Steve ‘Kalamazoo’ Mokone, the following season, the first black South African to play professional football in Europe. Steve later became a CCFPA member but sadly has since passed away in the USA where he had moved.
Dennis Uphill CCFC
It was a late Easter and yesterday CCFC had come back from London with an encouraging Good Friday 2-1 win against Queens Park Rangers under their belt. The scorers for the ‘Bantams’ (as City were known in the pre Sky Blue era) were dependable marksmen Dennis Uphill and wholehearted fair haired centre-forward Ken McPherson (later a CCFPA member).
Today, with an unchanged team, CCFC were back at Highfield Road taking on second placed Ipswich Town who had beaten the Bantams at Portman Road in the first match of the new year (January 7th) by the only goal of the game.
The result to day was a deserved 3-1 win over the Tractor Boys and all the goals came in a hectic first 25 minutes. Ken, who had only made his City debut in early December, got another brace (16 & 25 minutes) towards his final total of thirteen goals in his 25 league appearances. His first was a fierce shot from a deflected Eric Johnson cross, his second a brilliant header. City’s other goal came from winger Ray Sambrook who notched the first goal after only eight minutes crashing a loose ball home (below).
Before Ken’s second made the game safe the visitors’ centre forward Tommy Garneys had made it 2-1 after 21 minutes hitting home after Reg Matthews had parried a shot into his path. Even though City deserved more goals they were hampered by a second half injury to Peter Hill which resulted in a re-organised forward line with him hobbling on the wing. There was a pretty reasonable crowd of 15,532 in Highfield Road to watch the contest.
George Raynor
Raynor’s CCFC team that day was:-
Reg Matthews
Reg. Matthews; Ken Jones & Frank Austin; Jim Regan, Roy Kirk & Noel Simpson; Eric Johnson, Dennis Uphill, Ken McPherson, Peter Hill & Ray Sambrook
Reg, who gave another superlative showing in this game soon became England goalkeeper whilst still playing third tier football with CCFC. Ken and Peter later in life became Association members. All members of the team have sadly since passed away.
Alf Ramsay‘s Tractor Boys put out the following XI:-
George McMillan; Basil Acres & Ken Malcolm; Ken Baker, Billy Rees & John Elsworthy; George McLuckie, Wilf Grant, Tommy Garneys, Tom Parker & Jimmy Leadbitter Referee:- H.J.Husband (London)
A CCFC XI 1955-56
The two points conceded to CCFC today could well have stymied Ipswich Town’s promotion chances as they ended up third a point behind Brighton and two behind top spot. Coventry City must have been quite pleased by their eighth place finish though they were well adrift (seventeen points) of the Champions, Leyton Orient.
The two danger spots in the regional division were occupied by Crystal Palace and bottom club Swindon Town (both of whom were re-elected by getting the votes to play in Division Three South the following season).
Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images.
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