Matchday Memories: On This Day 1979 – Ian’s Brace For Milne’s Men Torments Trotters

Gordon the ‘gaffer’ in City’s infamous brown strip

On this day  (15th September) in 1979 the Sky Blues took on Bolton Wanderers in their third home match of the 1979-80 Division One season. Manager Gordon Milne (now a CCFPA member) must have been reasonably confident as his team had already seen off Bristol City 3-1 and Norwich City by 2-0 at Highfield Road. However, their away form was not so clever so far losing 3-2 at Stoke City on the opening day of the season and being tanned 4-1 at Nottingham Forest and 4-0 at Liverpool in their last league fixture.

Deadly Duo: ‘Wally’ & ‘Fergy’

However, some of the form worries were dispelled this day as City had the deadly duo of Ian Wallace and Mick Ferguson (both CCFPA members now) reunited for the first time since the previous February (due to injuries). Also the Trotters proved a poor side, overly reliant on the offside trap and seemingly relegation fodder.

‘Wally’ had a stormer, not only scoring a brace, the first on nine minutes and City’s last on 61 minutes, but also had a shot handled in the box three minutes after half-time. CCFPA member Barry Powell coolly slotted the penalty home. Ian also missed a sitter which would have given him a hat-trick!

Barry in the Sky Blue

Bolton’s Mike Walsh limped off injured reducing the Wanderers to ten men and Willie Morgan‘s goal nine minutes from the end was their only consolation as the Sky Blues prevailed by three goals to one. The Sky Blue fans among the 15,268 Highfield Road crowd went home well satisfied!

The Sky Blues who did duty that September day in 1979 were (CCFPA members underlined):-

The late Les Sealey, Brian Roberts, Bobby McDonald, Andy Blair, the late Jim Holton, Gary Gillespie, Tommy Hutchison, Ian Wallace, Mick Ferguson, Barry Powell and Steve Hunt.   

Ian Greaves‘ Trotters lined up as follows:-

Seamus ‘Jim’ McDonough, Dave Clement, Peter Nicholson (sub. Christopher Thompson), Roy Greaves, Paul Jones, Mike Walsh, Willie Morgan, Neil Whatmore, Alan Gowling, Len Cantello and David Burke        Referee: Stephen Bates (Bristol)

Front and back of the ‘Matchday Magazine’

Garry in the Sky Blue 1981

The Sky Blues forced a 1-1 draw in the return at Burnden Park five games from the end of the season when it was probably too late for the homesters. Garry Thompson got the 22nd minute equaliser to a fourteenth minute debut goal from the Trotters’ eighteen year old Philip Wilson.

As presaged earlier, Bolton Wanderers indeed finished bottom of Division One in May with only five wins all season (none away from home). They went down with Bristol City and Derby County. The Sky Blues finished in a relatively comfortable fifteenth, eight points clear of the relegation zone!

This season Liverpool became Division One Champions taking the title by a couple of points from great Lancashire rivals Manchester United.

CCFC 1979-80

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young (& Dean Nelson) for sourcing the images.