On this day (22nd August) in 1970 the Sky Blues were playing their third Division One match of the campaign in their fourth season in the top flight. Manager Noel Cantwell had seen his side gain mixed results in their first two games, losing 2-0 at Nottingham Forest in the opener but winning their first Highfield Road date four days prior to this day collecting both point against Ipswich Town, also by 2-0 (a Neil Martin brace).
Today’s game was again at the home of the Sky Blues as they entertained Southampton in front of 26,238 fans and came away with a single goal victory scored by our ‘cheeky chappie’ forward Ernie Hunt as early as the 17th minute.
In essence the Sky Blues found the match a bit of a struggle but managed to overcome an over-physical Southampton side. Our hard working inside man Ernie Machin suffered a crude tackle from the Saints’ Brian O’Neill and sustained ankle ligament damage which kept him out of the side for quite a few weeks.
Young Ian Goodwin did well again after making his debut in the previous fixture. Ernie Hunt‘s goal came from being alert enough to snap up a rebound off the post from a misguided back-header from the Saint’s Tony Byrne. The Sky Blues huffed and puffed but failed to make their evident superiority count and it took a great save from City ‘keeper Bill Glazier from O’Neill in a frantic last few minutes to seal City’s win and the points.
Bill Glazier, Mick Coop, Dave Clements, Ian Goodwin, Jeff Blockley, the late Geoff Strong, the late Ernie Hunt, Willie Carr, Neil Martin, the late John O’Rourke and the late Ernie Machin (sub. Brian Joicey)
We are delighted to say that all members of this team (apart from Geoff) later went on to join CCFPA
The Saints put out the following team:-
Eric Martin, Joe Kirkup, Tony Byrne, Hugh Fisher, Jimmy Gabriel, David Walker, Dave Thompson, Mick Channon, Ron Davies, Brian O’Neill and Tom Jenkins Referee: T.Reynolds
The Saints got their revenge in the return game at the Dell a week before Christmas and were well on top beating the Sky Blues 3-0.
This Sky Blues season will be most remembered as our first and so far only season in Europe. City disposed of Trakia Plovdiv of Bulgaria, winning both legs in the European Fairs Cup first round, but succumbed to the mighty Bayern Munich after a 6-1 mauling in Germany (though they did win the Highfield Road tie 2-1)!
City’s League season was pretty good with a strongish home record and a tenth placed finish in Division One. Southampton did even better finishing two places higher and four points better off.
Arsenal took the title by a point from Leeds United. Burnley and bottom club Blackpool were the relegated clubs.
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