Matchday Memories: On This Day 1977 – Sky Blues’ Shotstopper Duo Nail Hammers Draw!

Sky Blue Jimmy Blyth

Perhaps, inevitably, the game ended in a disappointing 1-1 stalemate and was poor fare for the 15,755 spectators in Highfield Road. There was nothing doing at half-time and chances were few and far between in the second period as well. Things looked ominous for the Sky Blues with half an hour to go when City’s ‘keeper  Jim Blyth was injured and had to go off.

Bobby in the Sky Blue

The Scottish shotstopper sustained serious knee ligament damage which would rule him out for the rest of the season and give a chance to teenage No.2 Les Sealey in the remaining eleven games. For today, Sky Blues full back (and now Jim’s fellow CCFPA member) Bobby McDonald served as emergency cover between the sticks.

Mick in the Sky Blue

Despite this setback the home fans were soon given a gee up when the Sky Blues tall centre-forward Mick Ferguson was able to head in from a free kick  from (now fellow CCFPA member) Terry Yorath to put City one-up with a quarter of an hour to go. Sadly, City’s replacement goalie could not keep a clean sheet in his thirty minutes in his new role as ten minutes after Fergie’s strike ‘Pop’ Robson fired in his own header past Bobby to equalise with only five minutes left of the game. The point each team got was not really what either needed but at least both avoided defeat!