Matchday Memories: On This Day 1927 – Rovers Return With Last Day Draw At CCFC’s H.R.

1926-27 front cover

On this day (7th May), way back in 1927, Coventry City were playing their last game in their first season in the Southern part of the regionalised third tier of English football having been transferred from the Northern section where they played the previous season.  They had been relegated from Division Two in 1924-25 after six seasons in the Football League which the entered at the end of the First World War having previously been a Southern League team. This was their second season under manager James Kerr and, after a generally poor season, in the last four games they had won two (home (1-0) and away (7-0) against Welsh team Aberdare Athletic) and drawn two, 0-0 at home to Exeter City and 2-2 at Swindon Town last time out.

Jimmy Heathcote

In today’s ‘end of season’ game in Division Three South at Highfield Road the visitors were Bristol Rovers who City had actually beaten in the west country 2-1 the week before Christmas thanks to a brace from Jimmy Heathcote. Though hopes were high for a City ‘double’ over ‘The Gas’ all they could manage was a 2-2 draw with all goals coming in the first period. There were 8,000 fans at Highfield Road to watch the contest

This time it was Fred Herbert who got the City brace, two in two first half minutes (38 & 40 minutes). However the home team had to back from two goals down as the visitors netted as early as the fourth minute from Tom Williams and soon doubled up from Ernie Whatmore.

Fred ‘Cute’ Herbert

James Kerr‘s CCFC lined up as follows:-

Jimmy Newton; Alex Fergus & Jackie Randle; Michael McIlvanney, Alec McClure (c) & Jack Gardiner; Jack Crisp, Jimmy Heathcote, Bob Heigh, Fred Herbert & Robert Ferguson

Alex Raisbeck‘s Bristol Rovers’s XI was:-

CCFC’s Joe Rowley 1924-25

Jesse Whatley; F Bennett & J Haydon; Joe Rowley, Jim Forbes & Len Smith; J Barratt, Tom Williams, Bill Culley, Ernie Whatmore & Jack Evans                  Referee: J.V.Pennington (Reading)

Joe Rowley had played for CCFC from 1922 to being transferred to Bristol in 1926.

This result meant that CCFC finished in fifteenth position in Division Three South whilst Bristol Rovers finished tenth probably miffed that local rivals Bristol City were promoted as D3S Champions.

Watford and (well bottom) Aberdare Athletic were forced to seek re-election at seasons end and only the Herts club succeeded. The Welsh club were thrown out of the Football League for the following season.

If anyone has a team photo of the 1926/27 Coventry City squad please let us know!

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