Matchday Memories: On This Day 1976 – Fergie’s First Min Effort Fails To Frighen Foxes (Draw In Goals & Yellows)!
Gordon the ‘gaffer’ in a brown mood
On this day (2nd October) in 1976 the Sky Blues, under ‘gaffer’ Gordon Milne (now a CCFPA member) kicked off their eighth Division One game of the season in twelfth spot with a mixed bag of both three wins and three defeats plus a draw under their belts so far.
Mick in the Sky Blue
Things looked positive for the Sky Blues when their ‘Mr Reliable’ Mick Ferguson scored his fifth goal in six games after only 57 seconds! In truth Milne’s men dominated the first half played at break neck speed but the Foxes did well to come back in the second period, so much so that their own No.9 Frank Worthington was able to scramble home their equaliser with thirteen minutes to go.
Not only did CCFC and LCFC share the goals and points but they also shared one yellow card each! Ian Woollett for the visitors and (now CCFPA member) Bobby McDonald received their respective clubs first ever such sanction awarded in the card’s inaugural season!
The Sky Blues’ side comprised:-
Jim Blyth, Mick Coop, Bobby McDonald, Terry Yorath, Jim Holmes, Alan Dugdale, Les Cartwright, Alan Green, Mick Ferguson, Barry Powell and Tommy Hutchison .
We are delighted to report that every single member of this team (along with their ‘gaffer’ later went on to join this Association, as did former Sky Blue Jeff Blockley in the heart of the Foxes defence!
Jeff in the Sky Blue
Brian Alderson in the Sky Blue
Jimmy Bloomfield’s Foxes put out the following side:-,
Mark Wallington, Steve Whitworth, Dennis Rofe, Steve Kember, Jeff Blockley, Graham Woollett, Keith Weller, Jon Sammels, Frank Worthington, Alan Birchenall (sub. Steve Earle) and Chris Garland Referee:- R.Toseland
As well as Jeff, the Foxes’ squad also included former Sky Blue Brian Alderson (who sadly died accidentally in the States at a tragically early age).
Fergie scored again in the return at Filbert Street in mid March but it was only an 89th minute consolation as the Foxes won 3-1.
CCFC 1976-77 Season. Gordon Milne (Team Manager) & Ron Wylie (assistant Manager)
In truth, the Sky Blues found the rest of the season a bit of a struggle and finished in lowly nineteenth spot, a point and a place above the drop zone, whilst the Foxes finished comfortably in eleventh spot. The relegated trio was Sunderland, Stoke and, bottom of the pile, Tottenham Hotspur.
It was Liverpool‘s title a point ahead of Manchester United.
