On this day, August 16, 1975, CCFPA member Gordon Milne’s Sky Blues defeated the “other” side from Liverpool, Everton, 4-1, to kick off their 1975–76 Division One season.
On Billy Bingham’s team were Dave Clements, a former Sky Blue and member of the CCFPA, and Bob Latchford, who would play for the Sky Blue in the 1984–1985 season.
The Sky Blues’ victory, along with their 2-0 victory against Manchester City at the Highfield Road a week later, gave us immense confidence, as the Bookies had predicted our relegation (even though we ended up finishing fourteenth). David Cross, a member of the CCFPA, scored a hat-trick in this game, the first two coming in the opening sixteen minutes of play.
His first came from a Graham Oakey cross, nodded in before Everton appeared to be awake. After a great shot from Tommy Hutchison, he earned his second by making the Toffees’ goalie, David Lawson, drop the ball. Even though Roger Kenyon of Everton scored a goal back just before the half, a second-half goal explosion from the Sky Blue team clinched the victory.
Alan Green in the Blue Sky
After pounced on John Hurst’s poorly timed back ball, David scored his third goal on the 72nd minute. Then, six minutes later, small fellow striker Alan Green headed the fourth goal for the Sky Blues.
The 32,343 spectators at Highfield Road left that day with great satisfaction, but the Liverpudlians exacted their revenge in December with a 2-1 victory at Goodison Park. Seven minutes before the final whistle in that game, City full defender (and current CCFPA member) Mick Coop scored the team’s late goal with a penalty!
The Sky Blues for that first game were, for the record (CCFPA members underlined):-
Bryan King, Graham Oakey, Jim Holmes, Alan Dugdale, Mick Coop, Dennis Mortimer, Alan Green, David Cross, and Tommy Hutchison; the late Jim Brogan; the late John Craven; and so on.
Billy Bingham’s Toffees fielded the following group of players:
Mike Lyons, Martin Dobson, Bob Latchford, David Smallman, Jim Pearson, Dave Clements, Roger Kenyon, Mike Bernard, Steve Sergeant, and David Lawson. M. Lowe is the referee.
For the record, the Sky Blues for that first game were (CCFPA members underlined):-
The late Jim Brogan, the late John Craven, Bryan King, Graham Oakey, Jim Holmes, Alan Dugdale, Mick Coop, Dennis Mortimer, Alan Green, David Cross, and Tommy Hutchison.
The following players were fielded by Billy Bingham’s Toffees:
Martin Dobson, Steve Sergeant, David Lawson, Jim Pearson, Dave Clements, Roger Kenyon, Mike Bernard, Bob Latchford, David Smallman, and Mike Lyons. Referee M. Lowe officiates.
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