Matchday Memories: On This Day 1947 – Bet On The Postwar Bantams -2. Bury Buried

Dick Bayliss

Following the last post looking at CCFC’s transitional post-war season on this day April the 19th when the club began its excellent record of wins on this late Easter date we move onto the following season. Seson 1946-47 saw the British footballing world return to its immediate pre-War structure. CCFC had been a Division Two outfit since winning promotion in 1935-36 and arguably, under legendary ‘gaffer’ Harry Storer, were destined for the top table scoring goals for fun particularly at Highfield Road. They had finished eighth in 1936-37 and fourth in the following two seasons and were unbeaten in the three games of the new 1939-40 Division Two season when everything got shut down.

After performing in Regional Wartime Leagues up to May 1946 (except for 1941-42 when they did not compete at all) Coventry City took up the mantle of a second tier club again this season, once more under manager Dick Bayliss who had taken over from Harry the previous season.

George Lowrie

The Division Two fixture list brought CCFC up against some strong opposition and Bayliss’ Boys were doing reasonably well above mid table still relying on many of the old guard from immediately before WWII breaking out. ‘The Bantams’ (as the team were then nicknamed) were showing a strong end to the season up to and including Easter with four straight wins betweeen March 29th and 8th April. However, they had come unstuck last time out the previous Saturday losing 2-0 at Fulham. Today, however, they faced a home game against Lancashire club Bury looking for revenge for their single goal defeat at Gigg Lane in December. A decent Highfield Road crowd of 18,660 had turned up to watch proceedings. We are pleased to sat the auspicious vibes of April 19th worked their magic today and the Bantams ran out 3-1 winners!

CCFC’s prolific centre forward George Lowrie had knocked in a hat-trick in the last home game in CCFC’s win over Swansea Town on April 8th and proceeded to repeat the trick on this day against the Shakers.The Welshman netted in the 12th and 35th minute of the first half and completed the treble a minute into the second half.

Alf Wood

He loved Highfield Road as he had grabbed four there on April 5th against Sheffield Wednesday too! George scored eighteen of his season’s total of 26 in the fourteen games from mid March!!

The game was also remarkable in that CCFC’s legendary ‘keeper Alf Wood made his 102nd consecutive appearance on this day – what a record! Alf marked the occasion by saving a Halton penalty which had been conceded by Jack Snape in the second half nipping a potential Bury comeback in the bud as their Carter had pulled a goal back after 65 minutes. The win left CCFC eight in the table which is precisely where they ended up at season’s end six league games later! Today’s teams were as follows:-

CCFC: Alf Wood; Dennis Tooze & Charlie Elliott; Jack Snape, Ron Cox & Don Dearson; Harry Barratt, Fred Bett, George Lowrie, Ted Roberts & Emilio Aldecoa

Emilio was one of two Basque refugees who CCFC found to be a worthy recruits from wartime. Ted is the father of future Sky Blue striker Dudley Roberts who is a CCFPA member!

Bury (managed by Norman Bullock):

G.F.Bradshaw; C.Fairclough & C.Griffiths; H.Whitworth, W.Griffiths & R.L.Halton; E.A.Kilshaw, N.Berry, E.Quigley, W.B.Jarman & D.F.Carter           Referee: S.Chatfield (Stoke on Trent)

This win kicked off a run of six games unbeaten and the copy book only spoilt by a last day 2-1 defeat at Chesterfield Town.  Accordingly, this season the club finished in a respectable eighth place in Division Two. The Shakers were safe enough in seventeenth nine points behind CCFC and seven points above the drop.

Manchester City took the title by five points from Burnley whilst the Welsh pair of Swansea Town and Newport County went down.

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images.