Matchday Memories: On This Day 1975 – Sky Blues Stymie Reds In Highfield Road Stalemate

That Day’s ‘Pink’ edition

Bryan fronts the programme

On this day (18th October) in 1975 CCFC gaffer Gordon Milne (now a CCFPA member) and 20,919 fans watched his Sky Blues fight out a scoreless draw in a Division One game at Highfield Road against Liverpool. Coincidentally, it was almost twenty years to the day before they produced another 0-0 Highfield Road draw against the Reds (see earlier post on the anniversary this week covering this game on 14th October 1995)

Bryan in his playing days

The Match of the Day cameras were also there and saw the Sky Blues put in a great performance after losing four out of the last five games and getting walloped 5-0 at Arsenal‘s Highbury the previous Saturday. Future Sky Blue Manager Phil Neal was in the Liverpool side that day!

Larry in Sky Blue

City were the better side in the first half but lacked a cutting edge. The Reds were much stronger in the second period and the Sky Blues goalie (and CCFPA member) Bryan King proved the home hero acrobatically tipping over Steve Heighway‘s deflected shot.

The titanic tussle between former Reds and now City’s centre half Larry Lloyd and ‘Pool’s inside man John Toshack characterised the stalemate, as defences came out on top. All in all, the result counted as a minor Sky Blue triumph over the high flying Reds.  CCFPA member and Sky Blue No.9 David Cross made the front page of the Saturday ‘Pink’ edition of the Coventry Evening Telegraph (above)!

David Cross in the Sky Blue

Sky Blue Manager Gordon

Milne’s men that day comprised (CCFPA members underlined):-

Bryan King, Mick Coop, (the late) Jim Brogan, Alan Dugdale, Larry Lloyd, Jim Holmes, Barry Powell, Dennis Mortimer, David Cross, Alan Green and Tommy Hutchison.

Bob Paisley‘s star studded Reds XI lined up as follows:-

Ray Clemence, Phil Neal, Alec Lindsay, Phil Thompson, Jimmy Case (sub. Peter Cormack), Emlyn Hughes, Kevin Keegan, Brian Hall, Steve Heighway, John Toshack and Ian Callaghan       Referee:- M.V.Sinclair (Guildford)

The two teams drew again at Anfield, a goal apiece, the following month with a 63rd minute Barry Powell strike negating a first half John Toshack effort.

CCFC 1975-76

The Sky Blues finished the season in a reasonably comfortable fourteenth spot that season whilst Liverpool powered their way to the very top of Division One on 60 points, a point clear of runners up Queen’s Park Rangers.

The relegated trio were Wolverhampton Wanderers, Burnley and bottom club Sheffield United.

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Youung (& Dean Nelson) for supplying the images.