Matchday Memories: On This Day 1970 – Sky Blues Beat Tornadoes In Windy Dallas (Brian Bursts Net)!
CCFC’s Manager, Noel Cantwell
On this day (May 8th) in 1970 the Sky Blues, managed by Noel Cantwell, were three games into their close season tour of the United States of America. Their third season in the top flight had seen them finish in a heady sixth position qualifying for European competition for the first time ever. The club had arranged an eight game tour of the States as a reward for a successful season and the arranged games would take in games in several parts of the country including St.Louis, Kansas, Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Washington and Rochester against not only USA clubs but two games against German club Hertha of Berlin. We covered Citys 3-1 win agains Kansas City Spurs three days ago on this site and details of some of the future games will follow in subsequent posts.
The 23 day tour had kicked off on May 3rd with a 2-1 warm-up defeat at St Louis Stars where our Scottish striker (and CCFPA member) Neil Martin got City’s goal in front of 3,700 fans. Three days previously, against Kansas City Spurs, Neil had notched a penalty to add to goals from ‘Ernie’ Hunt and John O’Rourke. Today’s opponents were drawn from a different part of the USA, JR Ewing country, in Texas. The Sky Blues registered their second win, this time against the Dallas Tornadoes by the same score as their previous win (3-1) in front of another modest crowd of 3,084.
Neil Martin in the Sky Blue
We have very few details of the game to hand but know the Sky Blues team and scorers. Neil got his third goal in three games and the other two Sky Blues goals were down to a brace from the Scottish forward’s fellow striker (and fellow CCFPA member) Brian Joicey (who came on as a substitute for John O’Rourke during the game)!
Brian in 1970
All the City goals came within a second half fifteen minute blitz with the Sky Blues trailing at half-time to a thirty minute Colin Renshaw goal. Neil hooked in ten minutes into the second period and Brian scored with a bullet header (which apparently burst the net) and a snap shot!
Noel Cantwell‘s Sky Blues lined up as follows:-
Bill Glazier, Mick Coop, Chris Cattlin, Dietmar Bruck, Jeff Blockley, Dave Clements, ‘Ernie Hunt’*, Willie Carr, Neil Martin, John O’Rourke* (sub. Brian Joicey) and Ernie Machin*.
Sadly (*) both Ernies as well as John have since passed away (along with their ‘gaffer’ Noel). Dietmar is an esteemed CCFPA committee member. We are delighted to say every single member of this team later joined CCFPA!
CCFC 1969-70
