Matchday Memories: On This Day 1978 – CCFC Crush Canaries (4 Separate Sky Blue Strikers)
John Beck in the Sky Blue
Sky Blue Barry
On this day (26th August) in 1978, following the classic match the previous season when the Sky Blues shaded a nine goal thriller, Norwich City were back at Highfield Road for another attempt to breach the Coventry citadel. This time they had another four goals put past them (and were only able to reply once)! The Canaries’ manager John Bond played son Kevin in their side!
Sky Blue manager Gordon Milne saw his team unbeaten in their first two Division One games, beating Middlebrough at Ayresome Park 2-1 in the opener and getting a Highfield Road goalless draw against Nottingham Forest in midweek. Today’s 4-1 win, in front of 20,377 patrons at the home of the Sky Blues, saw them go fourth in the table early doors.
City’s ‘Deadly Duo’ ‘Wally’ & ‘Fergy’
Although the Sky Blues were two goals to the good at the break it was a fairly languid start for Milne’s men though a poorish Canaries side were unable to prevent an initial twelfth minute strike from John Beck and then an effort on the stroke of half-time from Barry Powell (now a CCFPA member). Milne’s men turned the heat up further in the second forty five and a headed goal each from the Sky Blues ‘deadly duo’ of Ian Wallace (after 51 minutes) and Mick Ferguson (77 mins) finished off the Canaries and sent them back to East Anglia with a flea in their ear!
The away side’s goal, very much a slight consolation, came late from the Canaries’ England International Martin Peters four minutes from time. It might have been worse as the Canaries’ ‘keeper Kevin Keelan made several fine saves including two notable ones from the Sky Blues teenage substitute Gary Bannister.
Canaries’ scorer Martin Peters leads his side out
Ian Wallace, as always, keeping an eye out for any opportunity
Milne’s men this day lined up as follows (CCFPA members underlined):-
Gordon Milne-CCFC gaffer
(The late) Les Sealey, Keith Osgood, Bobby McDonald, John Beck, (the late) Jim Holton, Gary Gillespie, Donato Nardiello (Gary Bannister -40), Ian Wallace, Mick Ferguson, Barry Powell and Tommy Hutchison.
The Canaries got some sort of revenge in mid November beating the Sky Blues at Carrow Road by the only goal of the game scored by their gaffer’s son Kevin Bond in the 73rd minute
HR’s Spion Kop watches Ian Wallace beats a Norwich defender to the ball
In a pretty good league season for the Sky Blues Milne’ Men eventually finished tenth with Norwich City six places and seven points beneath them. Queens Park Rangers, Birmingham and bottom placed Chelsea all suffered relegation to Division Two.
Liverpool took the Division One title eight points clear of runners up Nottingham Forest.
CCFC 1978-79
Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young (& Dean Nelson) for the images.
