Matchday Memories: On This Day 1921 – CCFC’s Fantastic Finale Finishing Off Forest Trentside!

On this day (7th May) way back in 1921 Coventry City were about to finish only their second campaign in the Football League. Previously a Southern League club, after being elected into Division Two after WW1 ended in 1919-20 they finished in 20th position two point above the two teams who had to seek re-election.

CCFC Manager – Albert Evans

This season under new manager Albert Evans had also proved very much of a struggle with wins hard to come by and bottom spot a constant threat. Despite high unemployment in Coventry home gates had held up extremely well. Results had improved a little since mid March, however, and the Bantams had only lost two of their last nine fixtures going into this game and would win this last match of the season by two clear goals.

Sammy Stevens (in Hull strip)

The contest today was the return fixture against Nottingham Forest in the East Midlands (most games were played as home and away pairs through the season). Five days earlier, in their last home game of the season at Highfield Road in front of 18,000 fans Forest had come away with a goal-less draw. There was only one City change for this match at the City Ground by the side of the Trent, Jimmy Dougall‘s No.7 position was taken by the Tynesider No.11 Jim Mackay and Mackay’s outside left spot was filled by the Northern Irish player Bill Devlin for his debut. 

Reg Dalton

There were only 8,000 present to watch the game and they saw both City’s goals come in the first ten minutes in a rain sodden contest with the players slipping and slithering on the greasy surface. City’s two goals came from a Sammy Stevens shot (after only four minutes) and then Reg Dalton doubled the score six minutes later with a header from a cross.

Albert Evans’ Bantams lined up as follows:-

Jerry Best; George Chaplin & Jimmy Lawrence, Reg.Dalton, Bert Millard & George Hadley; James Mackay, Billy Leitch, Sammy Stevens, William ‘Molly’ Morgan & William Devlin

Bob Masters‘ Forest XI lined up as follows:-

Alfred Bennett; Harold Bulling & Harry Jones; Jackie Belton, Frederick Parker & Jack Armstrong; Sydney Harrold, Charles Lyall, Thomas Elliott, Alfred Donovan & George Dennis           Referee:- E.Pinckston (Birmingham)

Not just thanks to the last day win Trentside, Coventry City eventually finished five points and one place above the single relegated club Stockport County. Though finishing one place lower than the previous season a new Third Division of the League had been introduced in 1920-21 so County were replaced by promoted Crystal Palace.

CCFC 1920-21 (September 1920)

The bottom teams in Division Two were closely bunched at the end with only one point separating City in 21st with 35 points and sixteenth placed Barnsley. The Garibaldi Reds were eighteenth on 36 points. 

Birmingham (champions) and Cardiff City (runners up) were promoted to the First Division.

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