Tomorrow at Crawley,
for the 16th time in Coventry City's Football League
history the club's future is in the balance on the final day of the
regular season. The Sky Blue Army will make the long trek to Sussex
to see if their team will survive. On 13 of the previous 15 occasions
the club has survived relegation on the last day (and re-election
twice, in 1920 & 1928). Only in one instance has the club
suffered relegation on the last day (from Division 2 in 1952 at
Leeds). Let's hope City's final day record is maintained at Crawley's
tiny stadium tomorrow lunchtime.
It is seven years since
City had a last-day 'experience' when, Chris Coleman's team gave a
lack-lustre performance at Charlton, losing 1-4, but were saved from
the drop because Leicester could only draw at Stoke. Carlo Nash, the
Potters' keeper made several fine saves to save Sky Blue blushes &
send the Foxes down to League One. I have to say it was one of the
worst days of my life as a City fan. We all knew after 20 minutes
that we were going to lose & just had to pray that other team's
results kept us up.
The full list of the 15
final day adventures is:
|
1919-20
|
Bury (h)
|
Won 2-1
|
Re-election to League avoided.
|
|
1921-22
|
Crystal Palace (a)
|
Drew 1-1
|
Relegation avoided
|
|
1927-28
|
Northampton (a)
|
Lost 1-2
|
Re-election to League avoided.
|
|
1951-52
|
Leeds (a)
|
Lost 1-3
|
City relegated.
|
|
1967-68
|
Southampton (a)
|
Drew 0-0
|
Relegation from Div 1 avoided
|
|
1968-69
|
Liverpool (h)
|
Drew 0-0
|
Relegation from Div 1 avoided
|
|
1976-77
|
Bristol City (h)
|
Drew 2-2
|
Relegation from Div 1 avoided
|
|
1980-81
|
Nottm. Forest
|
Drew 1-1
|
Relegation from Div 1 avoided
|
|
1983-84
|
Norwich (h)
|
Won 2-1
|
Relegation from Div 1 avoided
|
|
1984-85
|
Everton (h)
|
Won 4-1
|
Relegation from Div 1 avoided
|
|
1985-86
|
QPR (h)
|
Won 2-1
|
Relegation from Div 1 avoided
|
|
1991-92
|
Aston Villa (a)
|
Lost 0-2
|
Relegation from Div 1 avoided
|
|
1995-96
|
Leeds (h)
|
Drew 0-0
|
Relegation from Premiership avoided
|
|
1996-97
|
Tottenham (a)
|
Won 2-1
|
Relegation from Premiership avoided
|
|
2007-08
|
Charlton (a)
|
Lost 1-4
|
Relegation from Championship avoided
|
It should be noted that
in the 1925, 2001 & 2012 relegation seasons, City were doomed
before the final day of the season.
The final home game
against Crewe saw the Sky Blues fail to win & ensured one of the
worst home records in the club's history. Only six home games were
won – equalling the club low for a 23-game home season, set in that
horrible season 2002-03 when the team didn't win a home game between
Boxing Day & the season's end. There have been lower number of
victories, but all in a shorter season. In 1927-28 only five of 21
home games were won and in both 1996-97 & 2000-01 (the
Premiership relegation season) a miserable four games were won at
Highfield Road.
I wrote about the
changing statistics for home & away wins some weeks ago but came
across an interesting statistic for the club. In the 31 league
seasons between 1930 & 1967 City failed to reach double figures
in home victories in only two seasons but in the last eight seasons
the Sky Blues have not reached double figures once.
My piece on George
Mason a few weeks ago prompted regular reader Keith Ballantyne to ask
when George left the club. He remembers as a child, having a
cigarette card of him with a write-up on the back where opposition
players were quoted as saying 'keep the ball away from Mason'.
George left the club at
the age of 38 in the summer of 1952 after a 21-year playing career.
He went for a spell to Nuneaton Borough and later became a publican
and worked at Jaguar Cars before retiring in 1978.
With the club's season
over this weekend look out for my statistical review of the season
next Saturday. Apologies if I haven't answered your questions. I
shall endeavour to do so early next season.
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