Blast From The Past: On This Day 1979 – Ferguson 4 Ipswich 1 -Fab. Fergie’s Four Irritates Ipswich
Mick in the Sky Blue
Later today we take on Ipswich Town in the F.A.Cup. A repeat of the scoreline on this first day of December fully 40 years ago would do very nicely! The headline above was what it said on the Highfield Road electronic scoreboard and big centre forward Mick Ferguson found the perfect riposte to the manager of City’s opponents Ipswich Town, Bobby Robson, who had suggested ‘Fergy’ wasn’t worth the £750k valuation the Sky Blues had placed upon him!
On the Monday after the Division One game the Coventry Evening Telegraph reported that despite Fergie’s super show against his team he would only contemplate a player exchange to take Fergie to Portman Road and he hadn’t got anyone suitable! City fans were obviously glad Mick stayed. The Sky Blues had already played the Tractor Boys at Highfield Road way back in August in the league Cup and had come out on top by the only goal scored by young Tommy English (now a CCFPA member) in the 18th minute.
The CET Pink Edition that night
Deadly Duo: ‘Wally’ & ‘Fergy’
Mick had formed a prolific scoring relationship with the slight Scottish figure of Sky Blues inside forward (and now fellow CCFPA member) Ian Wallace and both gave the Tractor Boys a torrid time that first day of December. Mick’s first, after ten minutes, sent the Sky Blues in at half time with a 1-0 advantage. He had also damaged a knee which required strapping up at the interval so his second half performance was especially remarkable. Mick’s second came after 52 minutes and his hat-trick exactly on the hour.
Ipswich found enough to win a consolation penalty after Paul Mariner was fouled in the box eight minutes later and John Wark strode up to despatch it past Les Sealey. However, the 16,411 Sky Blues fans only had to wait only a couple of minutes before another Ferguson goal came along!
Mick’s first
Sky Blue Manager Gordon
CCFPA member Gordon Milne was still in charge after sharing the managerial hot-seat with Joe Mercer in 1972 and he chose the following team against the Tractor Boys (CCFPA members underlined):-
The late Les Sealey, Mick Coop, Bobby McDonald, Ray Gooding, the late Jim Holton, Gary Gillespie, Tommy Hutchison, Ian Wallace, Mick Ferguson, Andy Blair and Steve Hunt
Bobby Robson’s Tractor Boys were represented by:-
Paul Cooper, George Burley, Terry Butcher, Mick Mills, Russell Osman, Kevin Beattie, John Wark, Arnold Muhren, Mich D’Avray, Paul Mariner and Eric Gates Referee:- D.Shaw
Future Sky Blue managerial duo Terry Butcher and Mick Mills were both in the Tractor Boys’ defence on this day.
Mick’s four goal haul was City’s first since George Stewart got one for the Bantams in a 6-1 away win at Carlisle United in February 1959. Curiously City’s Jimmy Rogers also scored four earlier in the same season in September 1958 in a 7-1 demolition of Aldershot at Highfield Road!
CCFC 1979-80
Ipswich got a measure of revenge at Portman Road in the league return in April beating us by three clear goals! Indeed, Milne’s Men finished in 15th position in Division One at the end of 1979-80 whilst Ipswich finished in a very creditable third spot seven points behind Champs Liverpool.
Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young & Dean Nelson for sourcing the photos
