Matchday Memories: On This Day 1970 – Machin Makes F.A. History In Sky Blues Tyneside Tie
Noel Cantwell- CCFC Manager
On this day (26th September) in 1970 the Sky Blues, managed by Noel Cantwell, were already nine matches into their Division One programme and had mixed results winning three and losing five of them. They had already embarked on their first ever European adventure beating Trakia Plovdiv 4-1 in Bulgaria in the 1st round 1st leg of the European Fairs Cup ten days ago and would successfully complete the round with the second leg in four days time. Also, four days ago they had seen off Tranmere Rovers in the League Cup 2-1 in the Second Round replay at Highfield Road. Today they were back concentrating on league matters and were visitors to St James’ Park, home of Newcastle United.
Brian Alderson in the Sky Blue
There was a crowd of 32,050 in Newcastle to see the game and TV cameras recorded every kick. Sadly for them all the result was a no score bore draw, City’s fourth successive goalless game (and therefore four games without a win). In fairness, however, the Sky Blues Brian Alderson did have a goal chalked off because (now CCFPA member) Willie Carr was adjudged offside which nearly enlivened a dull game. Also Sky Blue goalie (now CCFPA member) Bill Glazier kept his team in it with great saves from the Magpies David Young and Tommy Gibb.
Ernie at Highfield Rd
Many fans would argue that overall the game was spoiled by over officious refereeing as Willie, Jeff Blockley and Ernie Machin (all three later CCFPA members) were all yellow carded. However, the second ‘yellow’ Mr Nicholson decided to give Ernie for a lunging tackle on Magpies’ bustling centre-forward Wyn Davies went on to make Football history.
Ernie’s red carding on 77 minutes, resulting in the midfielder being ordered from the field and City having to face the last thirteen minutes with ten men, was subject to a subsequent official appeal. Ernie and CCFC challenged the sending off and used the TV footage as evidence. A biography of Ernie and a consideration of the case in the Independent newspaper can be found by following the link here.
His case against the F.A. subsequently went all the way to the High Court in 1972.
Ernie makes history at court
It was ruled that the FA had denied Ernie natural justice with the way the appeal process was delivered. Ernie became the first ever player to win such a case and changed the balance of power forever between the profession and the Football Association and prompted reform of the disciplinary system. This was an unlikely but important outcome of a pretty mundane game of football!
The Sky Blues team that day (all members of this team later became CCFPA members) was:-
Bill Glazier, Mick Coop, Dave Clements, Ernie Machin*, Jeff Blockley, Geoff Strong*, Ernie Hunt*, Willie Carr (sub. Dietmar Bruck), Neil Martin, John O’Rourke* and Brian Alderson*.
*Sadly, Geoff, John and both Ernies, along with their manager Noel, have since passed away. Dietmar is a current Association committee member.
The Newcastle team (managed by Joe Harvey) lined up:-
Iam McFaul, David Craig, Frank Clark, Tommy Gibb, Olly Burton, Bobby Moncur, Brian Robson, Keith Dyson (sub. David Ford), Wyn Davies, Preben Arentoft and David Young Referee:- Mr R.Nicholson
CCFC 1970-71 Sky Blues Into Europe
In Europe the Sky Blues beat Trakia in the second leg at home by two clear goals but went out on aggregate to the mighty Bayern Munich in Round Two, smashed 6-1 in Germany but beating them 2-1 in Coventry. Ernie Machin went on to play a total of 26 times for the Sky Blues this season and scored one goal. Cantwell’s CCFC played the league return with the Geordies on the last game of the season and brought the curtain down with a good 2-0 win over the North Easterners to finish comfortably mid table (tenth) in Division One. The Geordies finished two places lower and a point worse off!
It was Arsenal that took the title this season from Leeds United a point adrift and, at the other end, Burnley and bottom club Blackpool took the drop.
