Matchday Memories: On This Day 1963: CCFC Take Crewe To Cleaners & Seven Unbeaten!
Jimmy Hill CCFC Manager 1961-67
On this day of (17th September) in 1963 the Sky Blues under Jimmy Hill were having a serious (and ultimately successful) crack at winning promotion from Division Three, having finished fourth in the previous season. Things had started brilliantly with the 5-1 demolition of Crystal Palace in the season’s opener at Highfield Road followed by midweek a thrilling 3-0 victory at Notts. County‘s Meadow Lane. In the home game inside man (the late, great) Ron Farmer had grabbed a hat-trick, including a brace of penalties, and Ernie Machin and George Hudson (both also now passed away a while back) had scored the other goals. ‘The Hud’ then got two in Nottingham along with a goal by winger Willie Humphries. Then, at Fellows Park, Walsall the Sky Blues blew away the Saddlers with another 3-0 victory with goals from George, Ronnie Rees and Ron. Then followed a goalless draw at Reading, a 2-0 ‘double’ over Notts County at Highfield Road (scorers Humphries and Hudson) and a 3-1 win at Luton Town in midweek (scorers Hugh Barr and a brace from Willie). Crewe Alexandra were the City’s next opponents in their seventh league game of the season and hopes were sky high the still unbeaten Sky Blues could continue their run.
Ken Hale in the Sky Blue
JH‘s boys did the huge 29,571 Highfield Road D3 crowd proud. The Sky Blues blew away the Alex 5-1 as a very slick City motored past the promoted side from last season in great style. Ernie Machin, Ken Hale and ‘the Hud’ were immense
The Sky Blue ‘Hud’
After a 28th minute opener from Ken, George ran riot! Though he only got a brace (on the half-hour and fifty minutes) he should have got a hat-trick but the Alex’s Dave Whelan headed his goal-bound effort off the line! On 54 minutes Alex’s Stan Keery was pressured into an own goal and then on 73 minutes George made a headed goal for Ernie to make it a Sky Blue nap hand.
Bob in the early 1960s
The score was made only slightly less disastrous for the visitors when three minutes from time their Johnny King managed to score a consolation. Sky Blue shot stopper (who, like Ronnie, has passed away all too recently) Bob Wesson also lived up to his billing smartly saving a penalty from Les Riggs.
Jimmy’s Sky Blues lined up as follows:-
Ernie in the Sky Blue
Bob Wesson*, John Sillett*, Mick Kearns, Brian Hill*, George Curtis*, Ron Farmer*, Willie Humphries, Ken Hale*, George Hudson*, Ernie Machin* and Ronnie Rees*
Sadly nine members of the this team as well as their ‘gaffer’ have since passed away, most recently Ron, Ronnie and Bob). We are pleased to say that all the players above apart from Ken, as well as JH, later went on to join this Association!
Crewe Alexandra‘s men lined up:-
Jeff Hickson, Dave Whelan, Peter Leigh, Stan Keery, Eric Barnes, Les Riggs, Barry Wheatley, Jim Shepherd, Frank Lord, Johnny King and Ron Smith Referee:- B.Setchell
The Sky Blues had to go to their next Division Three game to taste defeat for the first time losing 2-1 at Hull City. However, they ended up winning sixteen out of their 22 league games to the start of December losing only three times. In early October the two teams fought out a 2-2 draw at Gresty Road with City’s goals coming (again) from George Hudson and Ken Hale.
CCFC 1963-64
The club achieved its promotion ambition in style finishing as Division Three Champions for 1963-64 pipping Crystal Palace on goal average! Crewe Alexandra went in the opposite direction finishing 22nd out of 24 clubs – the other three relegated clubs in the bottom four were Millwall (21st), Wrexham (23rd) and, bottom of the table, Notts. County.
Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images.
