The Swindon Town bogey
has officially been put to rest after last Saturday's 3-1 victory for
the Sky Blues secured City's second double of the season. It was
City's first home win over the Robins since October 1964 when Jimmy
Hill's team won 3-2 at Highfield Road. Since then City had been
unable to win in seven home games, one in the League Cup (1968), one
in the Premiership (1994), both of these draws at Highfield Road, and
five games in League One (four defeats, one draw).City's record at
the County Ground has been little better until the victory there this
season – the first in the league since 1960.
That last home victory
in 1964 was an interesting game. City, newly promoted from Division
Three, had started the season in scintillating form, winning their
first five games to head the table. Then the wheels fell off and they
went seven games without a win. The Swindon victory was a very
nervous one and ended the dreadful run. Swindon had a young, exciting
team which included Mike Summerbee and Don Rogers as well as future
City star, Ernie Hunt. Ernie Machin gave City an early lead but Ken
Skeen equalised. George Hudson made it 2-1 but Hunt levelled from the
penalty spot before half-time. City's winner came ten minutes from
time from Ken Hale and the game was watched by 25,253. Swindon were
relegated that season and it would be thirty years before the clubs
met again in league action.
Saturday's victory made
it six home wins in a row (five in the league plus one FA Cup). That
is the best home run in league and cup games since 1987 when the team
won six in a row in the run up to the FA Cup final
Feb 14 Chelsea won
3-0
Feb 28 Charlton won
2-1
Mar 7 Sheffield W won
1-0
Mar 20 Oxford won 3-0
Apr 20 QPR won 4-1
May 2 Liverpool won
1-0
The run was ended by
Manchester United who held City to a 1-1 draw on May 6th.
City did win six league
games in a row in early 2006, inspired by the signing of Dennis Wise,
but a 1-1 draw in the FA Cup with Middlesbrough spoiled the run. The
club record for consecutive home wins is 12 set in 1952-53 season (11
league and 1 Cup).
Nigel Spence asked me a
question a few weeks ago. He wanted to know which City goalkeeper has
saved the most penalties. I have records of most missed penalties
since World War Two and I believe the top three 'savers' are:
Steve Ogrizovic 12
Bill Glazier 10
Joe Murphy 9
Joe holds the record
for the most saves in a season – 5 in 2013-14 and his record
achieved in just three seasons is impressive. Since Joe left Coventry
four years ago only two penalties have been saved (excluding penalty
shoot-outs), both by Lee Burge last season.
Ian Crawley was a local
football legend and the son of former Coventry City player Tom
Crawley. In 1983 he scored the winner for VS Rugby in
the FA Vase final at Wembley and followed up this achievement when
hitting the net six years later when Telford beat Macclesfield Town
in the FA Trophy final.
In 2006
Ian was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and shortly after
he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He cruelly lost his life on
8th July 2008.
On May
19th 2018 his
family and friends will be celebrating Ian’s life and raising funds
for the MND Association with the Crawl Ball 10th
Anniversary at the Britannia Hotel Coventry with tickets at £35.
Throughout the night there will be a number of fundraising activities
such as raffles and auctions to support the vital work of MND
Association. For tickets contact his daughter Sophie Crawley on email
sophie049@gmail.com
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