Matchday Memories: On This Day 1957 – Warren’s Bantams Hit ‘Shots With ‘Old Five’!
CCFC Manager- Harry Warren 1956-58
One year on from our last post, on this day (30th March) in 1957 City were nine matches away from the end of the season, still in Division Three South, but this time under the managerial guidance of Harry Warren. The previous incumbent George Raynor was more cut out for the more adventurous continental soccer style and did not like the more rugged approach required in the English third tier with the often uneven pitches. When Harry was appointed in June 1956, George was asked to resume the coaching duties he had undertaken under Jesse Carver before he left to manage Italian club Lazio in December 1955.
The Swedish F.A. were circling George to become national coach and he succumbed leaving Highfield Road in November 1956 allowing Harry to fully impose his vision of play on the team. In truth, things slipped under this ‘gaffer’ after an early new manager bounce. With little money to buy new players the results became very patchy, the style of play all too predictable and consistent goalscoring was hard to come by.
CCFC’s Ken McPherson
Jimmy Rogers
City had got only one win in the last six but had some hopes of addressing this since they were meeting lowly Aldershot, a team against which they had done well at Highfield Road in the past. There were only 7,745 in the ground to watch proceedings. Things went according to history as CCFC went nap winning 5-1 with a trio of Bantams’ scorers and an own goal but some observers still argued that City’s performance was ‘uninspiring’! CCFC’s reliable goal-getter (who later became a CCFPA member) Ken McPherson got a brace. He would finish with 22 and become City’s top scorer. Jim Rogers also got one as did Ray Sambrook and the unfortunate Ralph Wetton of the ‘Shots contributed an own goal.
Ray Sambrook in action
Ken grabbed his first after only two minutes, hooking over a surprised Aldershot goalie Keith Amos. City were lucky five minutes later when the ‘Shot’s Ron Mann missed a penalty chance to equalise but Tom Richardson headed them level after eighteen minutes from a Jimmy Gaynor cross. Worse for the visitors occurred after 26 minutes when Wetton headed a Ray Sambrook corner straight into his own net. It was 2-1 to City at half-time!
In the second half CCFC switched their left wing combination with Peter Hill going onto the wing and Jim Rogers inside and this seemed to open up the ‘Shots’ defence somewhat and the latter scored after seventy minutes. Then goals from Ken (84 minutes) and Ray (85 minutes) between them contrived to finish the visitors off.
Ray Sambrook 1957
Harry Warren‘s Bantams lined up as follows (CCFPA members underlined):-
Alf Bentley; Bill Patrick & Frank Kletzenbauer; Frank Austin; John Wassall & Iain Jamieson; Jim Rogers, Peter Hill, Ken McPherson, Jack Boxley and Ray Sambrook
Iain later became a Coventry City director and chairman. As well as Peter, Ken also joined this Association prior to their deaths.
Harry Evans‘ defeated Shots’ XI was:-
Keith Amos; Stan Jefferson & Ron Mann; Bill Lacey, John Price & Ralph Wetton; Jimmy Gaynor, Tom Richardson, Mortimer Costello, Norman Menzies & Ken Flint Referee:- E.T.Jennings (Stourbridge)
City completed the double over the ‘Shots on the last day of the season at the end of April by defeating them by a lone Ray Sambrook goal. This left them in the doldrums of sixteenth place in Division Three South. Aldershot finished three places but only two points lower. This time it was Swindon Town and bottom club Norwich City who needed to seek re-election to stay in the league. They were both successful!
Ipswich Town were crowned champions (but only on goal average) from unlucky Torquay United.
Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images.
