By Jim Brown
In the summer of 1926 with Stoke City and Stockport County relegated from Division Two there had to be a reshuffle to accommodate the two ‘northern’ clubs. Coventry, as the most southerly team in the Third Division North were switched to the Southern section to join the likes of Northampton, Watford, Luton and five London clubs including QPR, Charlton and Millwall, with the longest journey a 200-mile trip to Plymouth.
James Kerr rang the changes during the summer of 1926 and several long serving City players were released or sold including goalkeeper Jerry Best, leading scorer Bill Paterson and popular winger Jimmy Dougall. On the opening day of the season a club record ten players made their debuts in the 0-3 home defeat to Northampton with only full-back Charlie Houldey surviving the purge. The new team took time to gel and after 14 games they had only seven points and only Aberdare Athletic were below them. Embarrassing defeats at Brentford (3-7) and Exeter (1-8) before Christmas were followed by six wins out of eight and the team started to pull away from the foot of the table. The goals started to flow with new centre-forward James Heathcote scoring 17 in 16 games including four against Watford and a hat-trick against Bournemouth.
After Christmas the team’s form was inconsistent – strong at home where only champions Bristol City won but poor on their travels. There was one exception, on Easter Monday City travelled to lowly Aberdare and won 7-0, which remains as City’s biggest away win in the Football League. Poor Aberdare lost their league place after finishing seven points adrift at the bottom.
The supporters preferred Southern Section football and gates were surprisingly good, considering the economic hardships being endured in the country as a result of the General Strike. The average attendance went up to 10,500 with over 17,000 at the Christmas game with Swindon. The finishing position of 15th was however disappointing and there was another early FA Cup exit at Northern Section Lincoln City. Frank ‘Cute’ Herbert, one survivor of Kerr’s clearout, excelled throughout and finished as top scorer with 26 goals with Heathcote netting 21.
