The Premier League computer was unkind to Coventry City when it churned out the fixtures back in June. A start with trips to the top two English sides of recent years, Arsenal and Manchester City, in successive away games would have sent shivers down any side in the Premier League let alone newly promoted Coventry City. To escape with 3-0 and 1-0 defeats from these two games was no disgrace and have brought a realisation to the team and the fans that, if they didn't know it before, the Sky Blues are at a new level. The performance at the Etihad last Saturday showed that lessons have already been learned with the team unlucky not to get a point at one of the toughest stadiums in the land.
The two away games have produced massive crowds with over 60,000 at both the Emirates and the Etihad with a new ground of 60,765 at the latter last week. The Sky Blues have played in front of 70,000 plus crowds at Wembley in five of their seven visits (with 98,000 in the 1987 FA Cup final being the highest) and 76,000 at Old Trafford in the famous League Cup victory in 2007. However there had only been four instances of 60,000 plus gates in league games – two at Villa Park and two at Old Trafford.
In 1936-37 season in the old Division Two City met newly relegated Villa for the first time in their history and the first derby game attracted a massive crowd of 63,686 to Villa Park with the visitors getting a creditable 0-0 draw. The following February there were 39,828 at Highfield Road to watch City win the return 1-0. The following season both clubs were in the promotion race from the early part of the campaign and the teams met at Villa Park in late October. A crowd of 67,271 (a record for a Second Division game at the time) watched a 1-1 draw. According to contemporaneous reports 20,000 City fans travelled to Birmingham, by 'car, coach and bicycle' with the A45 between the two cities virtually at standstill. The return the following February attracted a Highfield Road record crowd of 44,930 and promotion bound Villa sneaked a 1-0 win.
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Coventry City 1937-38
Since 1937 there have been only two City league games that have attracted more than 60,000, both at Old Trafford. In 1999-2000 there were 61,380 at Old Trafford to see United beat the Sky Blues 3-2 on their way to the Premier League title. The following season the 1937 Villa crowd was topped when 67,637 saw relegation threatened City take the lead through John Hartson and hold United to 2-2 until the last ten minutes when Giggs and Scholes sealed a 4-2 victory leaving the Sky Blues five points adrift of 17th with only five games remaining.
Coventry City's biggest away league gates
67,637 Manchester United 2000-01
67,271 Aston Villa 1937-38
63,686 Aston Villa 1936-37
61,380 Manchester United 1999-2000
60,765 Manchester City 2026-27
60,098 Arsenal 2026-27
55,726 Manchester United 1977-78
Between the 1930s and the late 1960s ground capacities were gradually reduced and for most of City's 34 years in the top flight Old Trafford was the only league ground that had a capacity of more than 60,000. Since 2001 there have been new stadiums at Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham and Everton as well as further developments at Manchester United and Liverpool. There is every likelihood that we will have three more 60,000 plus crowds this season (Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium can only hold 52,000).
If you enjoy this column and would like to hear more about Coventry City's history you can listen to the Sky Blue History Podcast which is available on Apple, Spotify and YouTube. Claudio Cardellino and I talk about all things Sky Blue and this week's episode talk to former City player Barry Powell about his football career. Just search for 'Sky Blue History Podcast' .
If you're after more information on City's history try www.skybluearchive.com . The site contains full details of over 4000 games the club has played since 1919 as well as player's profiles and pictures and much more. Follow on X @skybluesarchive
If you have a question about the history or statistics of Coventry City or have a suggested topic for the podcast please drop me an email at clarriebourton@gmail.com and follow me on X/Twitter @clarriebourton
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