Second row (l-r); Dietmar Bruck, Ben Glover, Ronnie Farmer, John Key, Brian Lewis, Bobby Gould, Mick Kearns, George Curtis, John Tudor, Brian Hill, Ronnie Rees, Ian Gibson, Ernie Machin, Trevor Shepherd
Third row (l-r); Peter Hill (Trainer), Norman Pilgrim (Physiotherapist), Alan Leather (Secretary), Charles Harrold (General Manager), Dr Peter Coghill (Medical Officer), Phil Mead (Director), Derrick Robins (Chairman), Jimmy Hill (Manager), John Camkin (Director), Jim Stevenson (Director), Alan Dicks (Assistant Manager), Pat Saward (Coach)
Front row (l-r); Ivan Crossley, Tom Sinclair, Bob Allen, Graham Paddon, Dick Dight, David Icke, Brian Wilks, Brian Joy, Willie Carr, Bob Dobbing
By Jim Brown
The modern view that survival in the top flight of English football has assumed greater importance than at any other time is far easier to state than to prove.
Certainly, it is difficult to imagine survival in England’s top division meaning more to anyone than it did to Coventry City supporters back in 1968 when, had the club been relegated, it could easily have drifted back into the wilderness that it had occupied for much of the previous three quarters of a century.
At the time, City supporters were divided into two schools of thought. The optimistic felt that the club’s march to the top was irresistible; the pessimistic argued that the combination of inspiraÂtion and perspiration that had got them there could not in itself be guaranteed to ensure survival. The latter opinion was closer to the truth, but three factors complicated the argument.
Firstly, two days before the opening match the club announced the resignation of manager Jimmy Hill, who wished to take up a media position with London Weekend Television. Secondly, five days later, in the course of a 3-3 draw at Nottingham Forest skipper George Curtis broke his leg and would miss virtually the whole season. Finally, Ian Gibson, the one player most capable of bridging the gap in class between Second and First Division, was dogged by a knee injury which restricted him to just fourteen appearances.
It is said that Hill demanded a ten-year contract, and, if true, Chairman Derrick Robins was not prepared to mortÂgage the club over such a length of time. Whatever the case, after five years of almost unbroken success Hill appeared willing to turn his back on the chance to test his managerial skills at the highest level.
These considerations were pushed to the back of supÂporters’ minds, such was their enthusiasm and appetite for First Division football. Seven thousand of them trekked to Burnley for the curtain-raiser, with City seeking to extend their long unbeaten run to 26 games. Sadly, the bubble burst at once, City losing 1-2. Curtis’s injury a few days later sparked a frantic search for a replacement. Tony Knapp was signed to fill the void, but the Board was obviously inhibited from making further signings until the managerial issue was settled. Hill had declared his intention to stay on until a successor was appointed, but his day to day frustrations must have weighed heavily as the enormity of the task confronting City began to dawn.
The search for a fresh manager alighted on any number of top names. Brian Clough dillied and dallied too long, having been made what was described as an ‘unbelievable offer’. He preferred instead to sign a new contract with Derby. Malcolm Allison, Manchester City’s young coach, announced publicly that he had accepted the Coventry post, a mindless breach of confidence that cost him the job. Finally, on 12 October, former Manchester United captain Noel Cantwell was appointed. Two days later Hill formally handed over the managerial reigns, whereupon Coventry promptly lost 2-3 to Spurs. A 0-3 defeat at home to Fulham plunged City to the foot of the table, and it wasn’t until his tenth game that Cantwell’s team tasted victory, 5-1 over Burnley.
Cantwell began the task of rebuilding at once. The signing of veteran Maurice Setters from Stoke for £25,000 brought steel to the defence, Tony Knapp having manfully but inadequately tried to plug the gap caused by Curtis’s injury. Forwards Gerry Baker for £25,000 and Ernie Hannigan for £55,000 were signed from Ipswich and Preston respectively. In February 1968, the elegant striker Neil Martin arrived from Sunderland for £90,000, after the local boy-made-good, Bobby Gould, was sacrificed for a similar fee to Arsenal. Two other players were snapped up on transfer deadÂline day – Ernie Hunt, from Everton for £65,000, and Chris Cattlin from Huddersfield for £70,000.
By the end of January the Sky Blues were still bottom but on 3 February victory at the Hawthorns signalled a turnaround, and wins over Chelsea and Sheffield Wednesday followed. Punctuating these victories was an ignominious FA Cup exit at Third Division Tranmere, which came almost as a relief, for survival in the top division excluded all other considerations.
One crisis followed another. On 16 March Highfield Road’s main stand was gutted by fire, leaving among the cinders a melted and twisted Second Division championship trophy and most of the club’s archives. The stand was patched up sufficiently to enable the match of the season to go ahead ten days later. The opponents were European Champions-elect Manchester United. The gate of 47,111 witnessed a famous City victory, secured by goals from Ernie Machin and new skipper Setters.
As the season neared it’s climax, the Sky Blues found themselves locked in their fight for survival with Fulham and Sheffield United, any two of whom would be doomed. Fulham were the first to perish. With two games left, City led the Blades by one point. Both of City’s games were away, at West Ham and Southampton. They drew the first 0-0, but Sheffield won at Burnley, leaving the two clubs tied on points going into the final game. On a nerve-jangling occasion at the Dell, 7,000 City fans roared their team to another backs-to-the-wall goalless draw. When the final whistle blew, ecstatic supporters invaded the pitch, knowing that Chelsea had won at Sheffield to send the Blades down.
In its way, City’s performances during 1967-68 were as heroic as any in the ensuing decades and it is testimony to the spirit of playÂers and supporters alike that the average home gate of 34,715 has never been bettered.
