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Matchday Memories: On This Day 1971 – Sky Blues’ Spotland Sorrows Sustained In Cup (Ta Psycho)!

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David Cross gets Rochdale’s opener

CCFC’s Manager, Noel Cantwell

This season saw the Sky Blues in Europe for their first ever campaign – in the UEFA Cup. However, more mundane domestic cup matters were at hand today. Rochdale has never been a happy hunting ground for the Sky Blues and on this day (11th January) in 1971 the outcome was no exception at the Division Three side! A crowd of 13,011 at Spotland (including former CCFPA committee member Dean Nelson and his parents) spent a Monday afternoon there (due to an earlier postponement) for a third round F.A.Cup tie and Sky Blues fans wished they hadn’t gone!

David Cross

Noel Cantwell‘s City ended up losing 2-1 to the northern club from the lower division. Future Sky Blue (and CCFPA member) David Cross got the first goal for the Dale (above) after 39 minutes, heading in past City’s ‘keeper (and now his fellow CCFPA member) Bill Glazier from a Norman Whitehead centre, to give them a half-time advantage.

Ernie Hunt in the Sky Blue

Though Rochdale fans thought he was offside, the Sky Blues’ Ernie Hunt equalised for the away side on 51 minutes to give City some hope.

However, the ‘Dale got the Fourth Round place as their Dennis Butler raced clear for the winner. Jeff Blockley (now a CCFPA member) nearly saved us late on when his header hit the underside of the bar but it was not to be and the Sky Blues went out of their second cup of the season having been knocked out of the UEFA Cup by much more salubrious opponents, Bayern Munich the previous November!

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The humiliated Sky Blues team that day (CCFPA members underlined) was:-

Bill Glazier, Wilf Smith, Dave Clements, the late Ernie Machin*, Jeff Blockley, Geoff Strong*, Ernie Hunt*, Willie Carr, Neil Martin, Brian Joicey and Brian Alderson*
 
*Sadly, both Ernies, Geoff and Brian have since passed away.
 
Rochdale’s XI (managed by Dick Conner) lined up:-
David Tennant, Graham Smith, Derek Ryder, Hughen Riley, Colin Parry, Joe Ashworth, Norman Whitehead, Tony Buck, David Cross, Bobby Downes and Dennis Butler                   Referee:- J.Thacker

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Rochdale finished a lowly sixteenth in Division Three. City did somewhat better in their own, much higher, league finishing in a comfortable tenth spot in Division One.

Arsenal took the Division One title by a point from Leeds United and both Burnley and bottom club Blackpool suffered the ignominy of relegation.

CCFC 1970-71 Sky Blues Into Europe

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young (& Dean Nelson) for sourcing the images.

 

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January 11, 2025 · Tagged with