Middle row (l-r);
Front row (l-r);
By Jim Brown
The close season of 1976 was unusually quiet, both on and off the field. With average home attendances the previous season down to 19,000 – the lowest for fourteen years – and fiscal reports making grim reading, the outlook was gloomy. There was only one incomÂing transfer, the QPR midfielder John Beck, and at just £40,000 he was a low key signing. The bookmakers installed City as firm favourites for relegation, not the first nor the last time that they would occupy this unenviable position. But on this occasion that judgment also reflected the views of many supporters. The first two games did little to alleviate their pessimism, as Middlesbrough and Manchester United both recorded victories far more comfortable than the scorelines suggested – the latter match was also highÂlighted by the dismissal of Larry Lloyd for any number of nasty fouls. It was an indisciplined performance that would hasten his departure from the club; he was to play only three more matches for the Sky Blues.
Clearly drastic action was called for to stabilise the club, and it arrived quicker than expected. Out of the blue, on 27 August, three major signings were made – Terry Yorath from Leeds for £145,000, Ian Wallace a young striker from Dumbarton for £75,000 and Bobby McDonald a full-back from Aston Villa for £40,000. All three were introduced to the crowd before the home game against Leeds United on a wet Saturday afternoon and their appearance seemed to spur the rest of the team to a much needed victory. That match also marked the coming of age of a young centre-forward from NewcasÂtle, Mick Ferguson, who scored a splendid goal in a 4-2 victory. The fortunes of the club took an upturn that afternoon and although there would be traumas to overcome in the second half of the season, these too heralded better times. This came at a price. The ritual ‘balancing of the books’ meant that David Cross was sold to West Brom, the silver lining being the good form of FerguÂson, which softened the blow of Cross’s departure.
Better results and a brighter style of play went hand in hand. City enjoyed a small run in the League Cup and some heartening results in the league, with Ian Wallace finally seizing his chance and looking every bit a Division 1 player. City also put on a splendid display at Villa Park, where it needed a late goal to salvage a draw for the home team.
Not for the first time, and just as the corner seemed to have turned, Lady Luck deserted the Sky Blues. Like buses, City’s misfortunes all rolled up together. Mick Ferguson injured his ankle against Everton and was sidelined for the best part of two months. Soon afterwards Ian Wallace suffered facial injuries when his car careered out of control on an icy road, forcing him to miss the next six matches. Thirdly, a spell of harsh weather resulted in severe damage to the Highfield Road pitch which, coupled with FA Cup-ties, meant that the stadium saw not a single home league match between 22 January and 2 April. Another blow came with keeper Jim Blyth’s serious knee injury, sustained in the Easter Saturday home match against West Ham. As a conseÂquence, seventeen-year-old Les Sealey was thrown in at the deep end and quickly established himself as one for the future. For beleaguered City, after thirteen matches without a win, relegation was again staring them in the face. Although Jim Holton had been signed from Manchester United in March for £40,000, and brought some stability to the defence, he too was short of fitness.
Speculation about Gordon Milne’s future was rife and, coupled with a dreaded vote of confidence from Jimmy Hill, his future looked bleak. Hope resided largely in the newly established strikeÂforce of Ferguson and Wallace. The duo had been scoring quite freely, though without swinging matches City’s way on a regular basis. Home victories over Derby and Stoke in April eased the situation, albeit temporarily, but two draws and two defeats left Coventry’s First Division life hanging by a thread as they faced Bristol City at home in the final match of the season. The situation was finely balanced, with one or the other clearly favourites for the drop. The complicating factor was Sunderland, who would be sucked into the equation should they lose at Everton.
A draw would suit Bristol City, since that would keep them above Coventry. Likewise a draw for Sunderland would keep them above at least one of the two clubs slugging it out beneath them. The Sky Blues could ensure safety only by winning. The only other combination of results that could rescue them was to draw with Bristol City while Sunderland lost at Goodison.
Severe traffic congestion delayed large numbers of Bristol fans. Not for the last time a late kick-off at Highfield Road would incur allegaÂtions of gamesmanship. Just after half-time Tommy Hutchison put City 2-0 up and City looked safe but the visitors, roared on by their vocal fans, scored one goal and with eleven minutes left scored a deserved equaliser.
With City staring relegation in the face, a commotion in the director’s box sparked news that the final whistle had blown at Goodison, and that Sunderland had lost 0-2. In less time than it takes to tell it, word had spread to the crowd and, more importantly, to the players. Provided there was no change to the score at Highfield Road, both teams were safe. Without going so far as to sign a truce on the pitch, both teams simply stopped playing. The remaining five minutes saw the ball tapped this way and that, aimlessly from side of the field to the other and back again. When the referee finally called a halt to the farce, both sets of supporters celebrated by embracing each other.
