Matchday Memories: On This Day 1969 – Sky Blue Brian’s Testimonial Draws Derby County

On this Monday night (28th April) in 1969 Coventry City stalwart Brian Hill received his testimonial from the club having already been at Highfield Road for thirteen years (he would move on in 1970).  The game arranged for him, in his penultimate Sky Blue season, was against the newly crowned Champions of Division Two, Derby County. They were managed by Brian Clough and were full of well known names. Sadly Brian, a Bedworth boy, is no longer with us passing away in 2016 aged 75.

The match finished all square, a goal apiece. Noel Cantwell was CCFC’s ‘gaffer’ at the time. A crowd of 10,190 fans turned up to mark the occasion and Brian, who captained the Sky Blues on the night, earned himself around £2,600 from the gate.

City’s big No.9 Neil Martin got the goal for the Sky Blues three minutes from the break following the East Midlands side gaining the lead with a tenth minute goal from Kevin Hector.

Neil in the Sky Blue 1970

Honours were very much even and clearly observers thought that the Rams would make the step up to the higher division with ease. The Sky Blues had finished their Division One season six days earlier with a goal-less draw at Highfield Road which ensured they remained a point and place ahead of relegated Leicester City.

The two teams that day were as follows (CCFPA members underlined):-

Noel Cantwell- CCFC Manager

Noel Cantwell‘s Sky Blues:-

Bill Glazier (sub. Eric McManus), Mick Coop, Brian Hill*, Willie Carr, George Curtis*, Jeff Blockley, Ernie Hannigan* (sub. Gerry Baker*), Tony Hateley*, Neil Martin, ‘Ernie’ Hunt* and Graham Paddon*.

Derby County:-

Les Green*, Ron Webster, John Robson*, Alan Durban, Roy McFarland, Mick Jones, John McGovern, Willie Carlin, John O’Hare, Kevin Hector and Alan Hinton   Referee: Jim Finney (Hereford)

Sadly quite a number of the members of both teams (*) have since passed away. All but Graham and Eric in the Sky Blues team later went on to join this Association.

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Brian as a Bantam in 1958-59

Brian, who died in October 2016, was one of the few CCFC players who not only played for City both before and during the Jimmy Hill ‘Sky Blue Revolution‘ (when CCFC were known as the ‘Bantams’) but enjoyed the whole ride from the old Division Four in 1958-59 to Division One in 1967-68.  Brian played in a golden era against some of the best players of his time – including George Best, Denis Law, Alan Ball and Jimmy Greaves. Along with the likes of fellow members George Curtis, Ron Farmer and Mick Kearns he helped this Coventry club to three promotions in less than a decade playing in four divisions of the Football League – a terrific achievement and playing span!

Sky Blue Brian

Locally born in Bedworth on 31st July 1941 Brian went to Nicholas Chamberlaine School before graduating to CCFC apprentices (via Nuneaton Boys) in November 1956. Accepting professional terms from the Bantams ‘gaffer’ Billy Frith in August 1956 Brian became the youngest ever CCFC debutant at that time when introduced into the team at inside right against Gillingham on 30th April 1968 at the age of 16 years and 273 days. His record stood for 41 years until fellow CCFPA member Gary McSheffrey beat it by 75 days in 1999. Brian also scored on his debut that day but sadly this didn’t prevent the Bantams going down at home 3-2 to the the Kent side on the last day of the 1957-58 season.

Brian (left) presented with his commemorative medal by CCFPA’s Jim Brown in 2009

By the time he made his last appearance at right half for the Sky Blues on Boxing Day 1970 in a 1-1 draw at home against West Bromwich Albion he had totalled 284 first team appearances (including one in our sole European campaign) and scored eight goals for the City (plus seven appearances for Bristol City on loan in 1971). Brian finished his top level career making over fifty appearances with Torquay United from October 1971 before dropping into non-league football with home town club Bedworth United in 1972. When he hung up his boots he worked in the Coventry car industry for Jaguar for eighteen years before finishing working for an HSBC banking subsidiary, finally retiring in 2001.

A long time CCFPA member, Brian memorably returned to the Ricoh in 2009 along with fellow veteran Bantams of 1958-59 when the Association presented them with commemorative medals to mark that early Club success.

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