Matchday Memories: On This Day 1937 – Capital Season As CCFC Fill In Fulham!

Bill MacDonald

On this May Day (1st May) in 1937 Coventry City were completing their first season back in Division Two after being promoted under legendary manager Harry Storer last season. Though many of the players who had scored goals for fun in Division Three South were still playing, including ‘goal machine’ Clarrie Bourton, they had found the higher division defences a harder nut to crack and scored nine fewer league goals in total (66) this season than they had scored at home last (75)!

However, they were still good enough to be in the top half of the table and finishing the season in strong form after a dodgy patch. Last time out they had tanned Blackburn Rovers 5-2 in Lancashire and today were finishing the season, again away from Highfield Road, in London.

Ellis Lager

The Bantams today were facing Fulham and came away with another away win to finish off the season. Only 8,699 were in Craven Cottage to see the contest and they saw the home side beaten by two clear goals. The Bantams scorers were first Bill MacDonald after 22 minutes and the win was completed eight minutes from time by young striker Ernie Lager.

Former centre-forward Tommy Crawley was now playing in the heart of City’s defence. The two sides had fought out a 1-1 draw at Highfield Road back in mid September with the Bantams’ goal coming from Arthur Fitton.

CCFC Manager Harry Storer

Harry Storer put out the following City side:-

Bill Morgan; Jack Astley & Charlie Elliott; George Mason (c), Tommy Crawley & Jack Archer; Jackie ‘Pluto’ Brown, Les Jones, Ellis ‘Ernie’ Lager, Bill MacDonald & Fred Liddle

The Cottager’s defeated XI, managed by Jack Peart, lined up:-

Alf Tootill; Joe Birch & Mike Keeping; Bruce Clarke, Syd Gibbons & Jimmy Tompkins; Dennis Higgins, Trevor Smith, Ronnie Rooke, Arthur Warburton & Jack Finch           

Referee: J.Stockbridge (Cheshire)

Coventry City would have been quite pleased with their eighth place finish. Fulham were eleventh only two points worse off.

CCFC 1936-37

Champions Leicester and runners up Blackpool were promoted to the top flight. Bradford City (21st) and bottom club Doncaster Rovers were relegated. The ‘other’ team in Bradford, Park Avenue just escaped the fate of their companions finishing in twentieth!

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