Jim's column 11.1.2020

The Sky Blues have their first FA Cup replay on Tuesday night when they entertain Bristol Rovers for a place in the Fourth round and a home tie with Birmingham City. The intriguing prospect of a game against our landlords makes the replay even more interesting. 

Last week's draw at Bristol stopped City winning their third successive away FA Cup tie of the season, something they have not done since 1987 when, of course, they went on to lift the trophy. In fact it would have been only the third time ever – the other occasion being in 1909-10 when City, as a non-league club, won away at Kettering, First Division Preston and Portsmouth, on their way to a quarter final tie with Everton.

I've been looking at City's record in home FA Cup replays and it is very interesting. Since World War Two City have had 14 home replays in the competition and have lost only three. Two of those defeats have been at the Ricoh (v Bristol City in 2007 and v Portsmouth in 2010), the other way back in 1955 against First Division Huddersfield and two of the three defeats came after extra time. Therefore in fourteen home replays the team has lost only once inside ninety minutes. Highfield Road was undoubtedly a fortress when it came to Cup replays but only two of the four staged at the Ricoh have been won. The full list is as follows:

1951-52 v Leicester City won 4-1

1954-55 v Huddersfield lost 2-3 (after extra time)

1962-63 v Millwall won 2-1

1962-63 v Portsmouth drew 2-2 (won 2nd replay)

1965-66 v Crewe won 4-1

1973-74 v Sheffield Wed. won 3-1

1980-81 v Leeds United won 1-0

1983-84 v Wolves won 3-0 (2nd replay)

2002-03 v Cardiff won 3-0

2006-07 v Bristol City lost 0-2

2008-09 v Blackburn won 1-0

2009-10 v Portsmouth lost 1-2 (after extra time)

2013-14 v Hartlepool won 2-1

2016-17 v Morecambe won 2-1

It's sad to report the death of former City youth player John Matthews at the age of 73. Coventry-born John was the son of ex-City player Horace Matthews and joined City after being spotted playing for GEC. John was a winger and played in the same youth team as Mick Coop and Pat Morrissey but his first team chances were non-existent due to the form of Ronnie Rees and John Mitten. In 1966 Jimmy Hill was approached by Mick Lynch, the manager of Waterford, seeking a young player on loan. JH agreed for young John, who would have probably been released that summer, to go over for six weeks to gain some experience and in his first seven games he helped them clinch their first ever League of Ireland championship. John signed permanently for the club soon afterwards and the club won five more titles over the next six seasons and played in the European Cup against such sides as Manchester United and Celtic. He also played for Cork United, Newcastlewest and Longford Town during a 22-year career. His 156 goals make him the ninth highest goal scorer in the history of the League of Ireland.

After retiring Johnny, as he became known in Ireland, managed Limerick & Waterford United as well as becoming a referee & TV pundit. Thanks to City fan Jim Douglas for the sad news. John can be found on the unique photograph taken of the whole club staff taken in 1966. He is on the far right in the group under number 11 with Dave Clements.

Another who passed away over the Christmas period was Gordon Dougall. Gordon was one of six sons of 1920’s Coventry City star Jimmy Dougall and played for several local clubs including Rugby Town and Lockheed Leamington in the fifties. One of his brothers was Tommy who played four games for City during the Second World War.