Matchday Memories: On This Day 1947 – Bantams Lick Leicester Thanks To Lowrie & O.G.

Dick Bayliss

On this day  (3rd May) in 1947 Coventry City were a Division Two outfit nearing the end of their second post-war ‘proper’ season and doing reasonably well under Manager Dick Bayliss.

On this day, over three quarters of a century ago, with four games left to play, Dick chose a team to take on East Midlands rivals Leicester City at Highfield Road a week after the Bantams had got a 1-1 draw at West Bromwich Albion last time out. This was the second of five games in May that would see out the season and was a rearranged tie from a February postponement. The winter of 1947 was an awful one which led to much disruption. The Bantams had lost their game against the Foxes at Filbert Street by a lone goal back the previous October so were looking for revenge and this is precisely what they achieved today with a 2-1 win!

George Lowrie

There was a reasonable crowd of 13,522 at Highfield Road to see the game. Our reliable Welsh international striker George Lowrie had scored with a glorious pile driver at W.B.A. and he was on the scoresheet again today after 37 minutes. George’s goal equalised an 8th minute opener from the Fox’s Jack Lee (who would later go on to play for the Bantams in 1954-55).

Dennis Simpson

City’s winner came from a second half scramble just before the hour with some sources attributing it to an own goal from either Dai Jones or Billy Frame of the Foxes and others giving it to City’s Dennis Simpson.

Coventry City lined up as follows:-

Alf Wood; Eric Dobbs & Dick Mason; Jack Snape, Ron Cox & Don Dearson; Dennis Simpson, Fred Bett, George Lowrie, Ted Roberts & Emilio Aldecoa

Emilio Aldecoa

Emilio was one of two Basque refugees (the other was Jose Bilbao) who were signed by the club after they had left Spain in the late 1930s during their country’s Civil War. Ted is the father of another CCFC centre-forward (CCFPA member) Dudley Roberts who played for the sixties Sky Blues! 

John Duncan put out the following Foxes’ team:-

Joe Calvert; Billy Frame & Dai Jones; Walter Harrison, Sep Smith & Tom Eggleston; Mal Griffiths, Don Revie, Jack Lee, George Dewis & Charlie Adam       Referee:-  C.J.Barrick (Northampton)

CCFC 1946-47

This season the club finished in a respectable eighth place in Division Two. The Foxes were tucked in just behind them, a place and two points behind. Manchester City were promoted as Division Two champs along with runners up Burnley. The Welsh pair of Swansea Town and (bottom club) Newport County were relegated.

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