Sky Blue Thinking: Coventry City’s four great escapes of the 80s – part two

Coventry City is a remarkable club. If you only started following English football in the last 20 years you could be forgiven for thinking they were a lower league club. But people of my generation know them as an established top-flight club having spent 34 consecutive seasons in the First Division between 1967-2001. During that period only Arsenal, Everton and Liverpool could claim the same.

During the 70’s they had two close calls in their battle to avoid relegation. In 1977 some skullduggery from chairman Jimmy Hill helped keep them up on the last day. Four bottom-half finishes at the beginning of the 80’s lead them to an amazing period where they had four successive seasons fighting against relegation, all of which went down to the wire.

Part One saw us look at the incredibly tense finish to the 1982-83 season. 12 months on they were back in another relegation dogfight.

This is the story.

1983-84

The summer of ’83 has been a very busy time for the club. Several promising youngsters were out of contract and chose to move elsewhere. Danny Thomas (Spurs), Mark Hateley (Portsmouth), Gary Gillespie (Liverpool), Paul Dyson (Stoke) and Steve Whitton (West Ham) all moved on. Manager Dave Sexton left and so did the charismatic chairman, Jimmy Hill. Hill had worked tirelessly to promote the Sky Blue brand. He was probably the first chairman to truly consider the fan experience at their ground, Highfield Road. He’d convinced the board to agree to convert the ground to an all-seater to counter the growing hooligan problem.

“You can’t be a hooligan sitting down”, he argued.

But by 1983 the fans and the club were losing patience in a man who could legitimately claim to be a driving force behind their continued First Division status.

It felt like a mutiny and so the club and supporters approached the new season with trepidation.

Former striker, Bobby Gould had been handed the task of turning things around. He brought in Terry Gibson from Spurs to hopefully replace Hateley’s goals. Ashley Grimes was signed from Man Utd to provide some experience in midfield as Gerry Francis moved to Exeter.  He persuaded Notts County’s Serbian goalkeeper, Raddy Avramovic to move to Coventry after Les Sealey moved to Luton. Sam Allardyce, who was out of contract spending the summer in the US, was signed and given the captaincy.

He also discovered a young left-back called Stuart Pearce at Wealdstone and duly launched his career.

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The first half of the season had been a success particularly a two-week period at the beginning of December 1983. They went to Luton and won 4-2 with Gibson scoring twice. A week later the defending champions, Liverpool visited Highfield Road and Coventry sent them packing in a 4-0 win. Gibson grabbed a hattrick and they were the talk of the town. When they beat Sunderland 2-1 at home on 2 January they were sixth.

But then their form dropped alarmingly.

When they lost 0-2 at Aston Villa at the beginning of April they’d gone 13 matches without a win, picking up just two points. They had seven matches to go and were four points above the relegation zone.

This was Gould’s second appointment in English football since the end of his playing days. He’d spent two seasons at Bristol Rovers in Division Three. With limited funds, he’d had to wheel-and-deal in the transfer market. He was short of firepower up front so contacted neighbours, Birmingham City to request the services of former Sky Blue, Mick Ferguson.

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Ferguson was a favourite of the 1970’s Sky Blue sides. Gould took him on loan. By the time he was fit, there were only seven games left. He scored the winner on his second debut against Wolves and then again three days later when Forest visited. Back-to-back wins gave them some breathing space.

But then it all went pear-shaped again. An Easter Saturday trip to Old Trafford saw them return home having lost 1-4. Four games to go and only six points above the dropzone. There were four teams between them and relegation, surely there were too many teams in a far worse position than them? This couldn’t happen again, could it?

Well, they’d played more than every team below them. Experience would’ve told Sky Blues fans this was not over by any means.

Coventry’s remaining fixtures were all against sides above them, including league leaders, Liverpool and 5th-placed Southampton.

Southampton (a)

Luton Town (h)

Liverpool (a)

Norwich City (h)

Monday 23 April 1984

Easter Monday saw six of the bottom eight in action, with Coventry and Notts County sitting it out. West Brom registered a vital 3-1 win over Sunderland, with two ex-Sky Blues, Garry Thompson and Steve Hunt, and a future one, Cyrille Regis, on the scoresheet.

Former Arsenal striker, Alan Sunderland, was on target for Ipswich in another crucial win against Norwich City in the East Anglian derby. As a result, they swapped places with Stoke City who lost at home to QPR.

Wolves’ defeat at Everton consigned them to relegation with still another five matches to play, showing how wretched the season had been for them.

Saturday 28 April 1984

Coventry travelled to Southampton, lying fifth. It had been five years since they’d won there although they’d drawn on their last two visits to The Dell, including the crazy 5-5 draw in 1982.

19-year-old, Lloyd McGrath made his debut having come through the youth team. John Hendrie came on as a sub for him, in what would be his final appearance for the club.

Southampton were one of the most exciting sides around and on this day they were on fire. The Saints were a potent mixture of experience, Frank Worthington, Peter Shilton, Mick Mills and David Armstrong, combined with raw youthful exuberance up front with Steve Moran and Danny Wallace.

Moran scored twice in the first half to give the home side a comfortable lead. Armstrong made it three before Wallace hit a hat-trick and Southampton were rampant. Micky Gynn and Grimes scored for the visitors before Worthington scored the home side’s seventh. Moran then completed his hat-trick as Saints romped away with an 8-2 win. This was a chastening experience for the visitors and how were they going to get out of this one?

Fortunately for them, Sunderland were the only team in the bottom eight that won. Ipswich picked up a valuable point at Anfield with Stoke and West Brom also picking up points away from home. The Black Cats were showing much-needed fight as they’d only lost one of their last five and two of their last three matches were against clubs in the bottom three.

Tuesday 1 May 1984

Notts County had suffered back-to-back defeats and were hanging by a thread. But the only club worse than them was Wolves, so when they visited Meadow Lane County took the opportunity to improve their goal difference with a crucial 4-0 win. They still had a game in hand on teams above them and it certainly made the rest a little more nervous. Of course, Wolves were already down so the result made no difference for them.

Saturday 5th May 1984

Luton Town arrived at Highfield Road in dreadful form. They were lying 12th and in no danger of the drop, after their dramatic escape 12 months earlier. But they’d lost five of their last six and won once in their last nine.

Nicky Platnauer and Gibson were on target for the home side, but victory was denied by Rady Antic and Brian Stein scoring for the visitors. It was a point, at least, but with a trip to Anfield up next they really could’ve done with a win.

Below them, Birmingham and Stoke both picked up a point each. Ipswich caused some concern amongst those around them, by beating Sunderland.

Notts County were unable to build on their big win during the week as Clive Allen hit a hat-trick.

Ipswich now jumped up three places on account of a superior goal difference. Coventry were now one of three sides on 47 points with Birmingham still just a point behind. Stoke were still in the bottom three, two points adrift of safety.

Monday 7 May 1984

Once again Bank Holiday Monday provided a full fixture programme in the First Division. For Coventry, this meant a trip to Anfield, a venue they’d never won at. Three of their four previous visits had ended in 0-4 defeats. It was their 19th match at the ground in all competitions and all but three occasions had ended in defeat. Liverpool, then managed by Joe Fagan, were two points clear at the top heading for their third title in a row. The signs were ominous for the Sky Blues.

They had a three-point cushion to Stoke in the relegation zone and the Potters were at Luton Town, who had just been to Highfield Road and walked away with a point. All of Coventry was hoping they could go one better this time.

This was their penultimate game of the season and they were unrecognisable from the side which played their penultimate game the previous season. Back in 1983 they went to Stoke City and won 3-0 to finally confirm their First Division status. 12 months later only Aidan Butterworth remained from that team. Yet despite the turnover in players, they were no better off.

They held the champions at bay until just before half-time when Ian Rush scored his 28th league goal of the season. Two minutes later he doubled his, and his side’s, tally. After holding them off for 43 minutes Coventry found themselves going into the dressing room 0-2 down.

News filtered through Ian Painter had given Stoke a half-time lead at Luton, and with Birmingham and West Brom both drawing at the break Coventry would need a big effort in the second half. As things stood they were out of the relegation zone only on goal difference.

That advantage reduced further when Rush completed his hat-trick when he converted a penalty midway through the second half. It gave him 30 goals in the league for the season and he looked to be heading for 50 goals in all competitions.

Rush then turned provider for Alan Hansen to make it 4-0 to Liverpool, a scoreline Coventry were now very familiar with at Anfield. Coventry’s shock 4-0 win over the champions back in December was a distant memory. Rush then scored his fourth of the game to complete another thrashing for the Sky Blues at Liverpool, 0-5.

Back in the dressing room, they discovered Stoke had held onto their 1-0 lead at Luton to record a vital win. Coventry had begun the day with a goal-difference advantage over Stoke of eight. That advantage had narrowed to just two. Birmingham and West Brom both drew which meant Coventry were now locked on 47 points with Birmingham and Stoke with a game to go. West Brom were a point better off with a game in hand. Stoke’s victory also kept Sunderland in the mire after they were held to a goalless draw at home to Notts County. As a result, County were relegated.

The surprise of the day came at Molineux where Wolves ended their 12-game winless streak when Gordon Smith scored the only goal of the game. At Old Trafford, Ipswich came from behind to win 2-1 and virtually made them safe. Bobby Robson had only been gone two years from Portman Road, yet it seemed a long time ago.

For the final game of the season Coventry, Birmingham and Stoke were all at home. Stoke were up against the hapless Wolves. Coventry were to take on Norwich, who were lying in 14th just three points better off than the Sky Blues. There was little chance of the Canaries going down, though as goal difference was in their favour by a massive 23 goals.

Saturday 12 May 1984

This wasn’t the final day of the season for all First Division clubs but for those battling against the drop it was. It proved to be a fascinating tussle.

Norwich City were the visitors to Highfield Road where Bobby Gould named an unchanged Coventry team. “You got us in this mess, you get us out of it” type selection. Norwich had only won one in their last 28 visits to the ground.

Just over 14,000 packed into Highfield Road but almost all of them fell silent when John Deehan scored from the spot to give the visitors the lead. The place then erupted when Mick Ferguson levelled things before the break.

At the Victoria Ground Stoke were fairing much better. Paul Maguire had scored twice to give them a crucial 2-0 lead against Wolves.

At St. Andrews Birmingham and Southampton were still locked at 0-0.

As things stood, Coventry were going down unless they could find a goal from somewhere, or unless Southampton could.

The next goal in either of the vital matches fell again to Maguire as Stoke were now 3-0 up and heading for safety. The focus was all centred around two close rivals, Birmingham and Coventry.

With 20 minutes to go there was a goal, but who had it gone to? Coventry had a corner which Dave Bennett took.

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Bennett had been signed by Gould from Cardiff City in the summer. He’d played in the 1981 FA Cup Final when he became the first black player to play for Manchester City in an FA Cup Final. The arrival of Trevor Francis at Maine Road had seen him fall out of favour and he dropped down a division to South Wales. Truth is he was duped into going to Cardiff by Man City chairman, Peter Swales. Swales had asked the player to “do him a favour and go and play for Cardiff”. As Bennett’s brother had just moved there it didn’t seem a big thing, so he went believing it to be a short-term loan. When he arrived at Cardiff he discovered Swales had asked for a fee to make it permanent. After two seasons at Ninian Park, Gould bought him back to First Division football for £100,000.

Now with their First Division future on the line, Bennett was desperate to keep them up, especially as Manchester City were then in the Second Division. He took the corner and it bent right into the net out of the reach of Chris Woods in the Norwich goal.

The place went nuts. But of course, Sky Blues fans knew it was never going to be easy and you could cut the tension with a knife.

Paul Maguire then scored his fourth of the game at Stoke and they were clear and away. Still no goals at St. Andrews.

Into the dying minutes and Norwich were on the attack. Robert Rosario had a shot at goal. The ball hit the inside of the post and as the ground held a collective breath, the ball nestled into the grateful arms of Perry Suckling in the Sky Blues goal.

Nobody inside Highfield Road knew it at the time but over at St. Andrews Birmingham came within a whisker of scoring themselves, but the ball went narrowly the wrong side of the post for them.

Eventually, the final whistle went. Coventry had beaten Norwich and news spread around the ground that Birmingham had been held to a goalless draw and so the Sky Blues had staved off relegation once again.

There was a saying at the time if the Titanic had been painted Sky Blue it would never have gone down. Coventry City and Bobby Gould had pulled off another miracle.

Mick Ferguson returned to his employer, Birmingham City, knowing he’d had a hand in sending them down to the Second Division. Hardly surprising they shipped him off to Brighton soon after.

He was not the only one of the Coventry players that day to play their last game for the club. Allardyce, Daly, Grimes, Jacobs and Suckling would all never be seen in Sky Blue shirts again.

Gould had much to do to prepare for the new season.

Join us for Part Three when the great Coventry escape act makes yet another appearance just 12 months later.