Matchday Memories: On This Day 1975 – Ten Man Sky Blues Squeeze Past Bell’s Brum Boys At H.R.
Tommy Hutch on the programme front
On this penultimate day day of November (29th) in 1975 the Sky Blues, under (now CCFPA member) Gordon Milne, were doing OK in Division One nineteen games in unbeaten in the last four games and thirteenth in the table. Today’s game was at Highfield Road and City’s quite recent landlords Birmingham City were the visitors to the CCFC’s original home.
A decent crowd of 21,800 had turned up to see the local derby and they saw the home team have to dig deep and hold on to a 3-2 win after going down to ten men! The vistors’ manager Willie Bell had taken over from Freddie Goodwin in September.
Sky Blue Donal Murphy
With the Sky Blues in a clear 3-1 first half lead City’s Irish midfielder Donal Murphy, who had scored CCFC’s third with a header after 32 minutes, found himself sent off just before half-time! The offence was for kicking Birmingham’s hard man Kenny Burns (who had pulled one back with a header after 35 minutes) and the Sky Blues were left to face the second half music a man light! It was a good job Barry Powell had given the Sky Blues a twelfth minute lead with a free kick followed by another on the half-hour, taking advantage of a Burns‘ error, from David Cross (all three mentioned are now Association members)!
David Cross featured inside the programme
The Blues had a good go at clawing their way fully back into the game in the second half but the ten man Sky Blues held on for a valuable win. It was worrying however, after 67 minutes when City’s Mick Coop fouled Dave Hatton in the box to give away a penalty. Then Howard Kendall made it 3-2 with the spot kick – but he needed two goes at it to beat Bryan King in the CCFC goal! Nail biting stuff but the points went to Milne’s men!
The two sides lined up as follows:-
Barry Powell in the Sky Blue
In March 1976, in the return, the Sky Blues brought back a 1-1 draw from St Andrews. Barry Powell gave us a 12th minute opener but that was nullified by a 56th minute Trevor Francis penalty for the Blues.
The Sky Blues claimed end of season bragging rights over their local rivals finishing in a reasnable fourteenth position in Division One whilst the Brummagems just escaped relegation standing on the trap door in nineteenth spot but their three point advantage over Wolverhampton Wanderers stopped them falling through. Wolves along with 21st place Burnley and bottom of the pile Sheffield United duly went down to Division Two.
CCFC 1975-76
At the top it was Liverpool‘s Championship pipping runners up Queen’s Park Rangers by a single point.
Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young (& Dean Nelson) for sourcing the images.
