55 years ago this month
Coventry City kicked off the first full season under the management
of Jimmy Hill. The former Fulham player had been appointed in
succession to Billy Frith the previous November and after a busy
summer in the transfer market his new team were unveiled at the
opening game, like this season, in a home game with Notts County.
The new all Sky-Blue
kit made its first appearance in a competitive game and a complete
new forward line was on view. Outside-right Willie Humphries had
played one game at the end of the 1961-62 season and was joined
against Notts by Hubert Barr, Terry Bly, Jimmy Whitehouse and Bobby
Laverick. In defence JH stuck with the players he had inherited with
the exception of another new signing, John Sillett, at right-back.
Like Humphries, 'Sill' had arrived as the previous season ended but
had had little opportunity to show City fans his Division One
pedigree. Arthur Lightening was in goal, Frank Austin at left-back
and the renowned half-back line of Farmer-Curtis-Kearns made up the
eleven.
Over 22,000 rolled up
to Highfield Road, the biggest opening home crowd for seven years,
and expectations were high on a hot sticky day. A nervous City
managed 30 shots on target but couldn't make the breakthrough. Then
with 14 minutes left debutant Barr smashed home a right-foot shot and
seven minutes later the same player set up Bly's header for number
two. A 2-0 home win was just reward for a solid performance.
Last Saturday the Sky
Blues went one better, winning 3-0, again with two late goals. Let's
hope that's a good omen as 1962-63 became the launchpad for the Sky
Blue Revolution.
After failing to score
more than two goals in any league game last season, few fans expected
three on the opening day, let alone a hat-trick from Jodi Jones.
Jones wasn't the most consistent of players last season and scored
only one league goal but he certainly came out of the blocks well
this term. Jodi is still only 19 and although he's a year older than
the youngest City hat-trick scorer, Adam Armstrong (v Crewe in
January 2016) he is the fifth youngest. Tommy English, Willie Carr
and Ronnie Rees all scored before their 20th birthday and were
younger than Jones.
Mark Robins' overhaul
of City's squad this summer was reflected on Saturday with two stats.
There were seven debutants in the starting line up and two more came
off the bench during the game. The total of nine (ten if you include
the returning Michael Doyle) is the most in the club's history,
beating the eight used by Gary McAllister on the opening day in 2003
which was equalled in 2014 by Stephen Pressley at Bradford. Some
people have pointed out that there were no Academy players in City's
line-up on Saturday. This was the first time in over seven years that
this has happened. The last time was in April 2010 in a 3-0 defeat at
Reading. That day Marcus Hall, Shaun Jeffers and Jordan Clarke were
all on the bench but none of them used. On Tuesday night the academy
boys were out in force with six of them playing some part in the
League Cup tie with Blackburn, including two more debutants,
Warwick-born Kyle Finn and Cov kid Jordan Ponticelli.
A reminder that my
latest book, Play Up Sky Blues, the story of the memorable 1966-67
season, is due to be published in October and is available for
pre-order on Amazon.
If you have any
questions regarding the club's history please contact me on
clarriebourton@gmail.com
and I will endeavour to answer them.
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