Jim's column 28.3.2020

With football suspended and little current stuff to write about I thought I would take the opportunity to answer some recent readers' queries and questions. If you have a question about Coventry City's history or statistics please get in contact, either by email clarriebourton@gmail.com or on twitter @clarriebourton and I will try and answer you.

First up is Keith Ballantyne, a regular correspondent. In December, after the victory at Ipswich in the FA Cup replay, I wrote about City's poor record in away replays in the competition (it was only the fifth win in 31 replays). Keith wanted to know if there was a similar poor record in League Cup replays.

The format of the League Cup (inaugurated in 1960) has always been different to the FA Cup and there have been no replays since 1996. There have also been less opportunities for replays because until 2000 the First and second rounds were two-legged. I can find only five instances where the Sky Blues had away replays in the competition:-

1965-66 West Brom lost 6-1 (after 1-1 draw)

1968-69 Swindon lost 3-0 (after 2-2 draw)

1973-74 Manchester City lost 4-2 (after 2-2 draw)

1980-81 Cambridge United won 1-0 (after 1-1 draw)

1985-86 West Brom lost 4-3 (after 0-0 draw)

Only one win in five therefore, an unimpressive record. One interesting stat however is that in the first three occurrences the team that knocked City out went on to reach the final with West Brom and Swindon both lifting the trophy. It is disappointing to think that we'll never see another League Cup replay with the rules now ensuring ties are settled at the first time of asking.

The legendary George Hudson celebrated his 83rd birthday last week and Barry Allsopp asked me to settle an argument about the former City centre-forward. Barry thought George was born, or grew-up, in Accrington but his friend thinks he was born in Manchester and that Blackburn was his first professional club.

I'm afraid your friend is correct Barry. George was born in Manchester and his first club was Blackburn Rovers. He joined Rovers as 20 year-old in 1958 and made his debut in a 2-1 win over Manchester City in April 1959. After four appearances and one goal he was released by Rovers and signed for Fourth Division Accrington Stanley. After an inauspicious debut (Stanley lost 9-2 at Crystal Palace) he set the division alight with 35 goals in 44 games and after just 12 games he was sold to Peterborough United for a sizeable fee. He played alongside Terry Bly (the man he would ultimately displace at Coventry) and over the next eighteen months scored 50 goals in 75 games. In April 1963 Jimmy Hill splashed out a club record £21,000 to bring the prolific scorer to Highfield Road. A hat-trick on his Sky Blues debut (the only man ever to do this) made him an instant hero and his 28 goals in 36 games was a major factor in the club's 1963-64 promotion success. It's hard to believe that George was only at the club for three years but managed 75 goals in 129 games. On transfer deadline day in 1966 JH shocked the fans by agreeing to sell 'The Hud', as he was known, to First Division Northampton Town for £30,000. He failed to keep the Cobblers in the top flight and within a year was on the move to Tranmere Rovers where injuries meant he was unable to maintain a regular place in the team. He did come back to haunt the Sky Blues however, in 1968 when he netted in Rovers' shock 2-0 FA Cup win over City.

Finally, Clive Baskerville pointed out that in 1964 the champions of the top three divisions were Liverpool, Leeds United and Coventry City. If we ever see the end of this season it would be a massive coincidence to be looking at the same champions at 56 years ago. Division Four, that season, was won by Gillingham, but as they are in League One the full set can't be replicated.