Personally I feel sorry for an set of fans being relegated. They have nothing to do with the running of their respective clubs. I’ve been a season ticket holder at Sunderland for 31 years and still feel agreived by what happened that night. But it was 7 or 8 minutes gamesmanship blown out of all proportion over the years. It doesn’t warrant the embarrassment 35 years later of goading supporters who the majority probably weren’t even around. All this talk of karma is nonsense 35 years is not karma especially when the people involved left 30 years ago. Aim the vitriol at Jimmy Hill.
The game would have probably finished 2-2 anyway. Portsmouth have been cheating for many many years by living so far beyond their means the board and people involved at that club should be ashamed.
Tottenham 1-2 Coventry, 11/05/1997
The original top-flight last-day escapologists – they'd already survived final-game scrapes nine times in 30 years – Coventry went to White Hart Lane knowing they had to win and hope Sunderland and Middlesbrough dropped points in order to survive. An early twist, brought about by traffic on the M25 and M1, meant that the game kicked off 15 minutes late, with the rest of the matches starting at the prescribed time.
Dion Dublin headed Gordon Strachan’s side into the lead after 12 minutes, before Paul Williams volleyed in another on 38 minutes, with Gary McAllister assisting both goals. However Spurs got a goal back before half time – Paul McVeigh following up a Teddy Sheringham free-kick that cannoned off the post – to ensure a nervy second half.
Given the delay, Coventry knew with 14 minutes still left to play that a win would keep them up, and promptly retreated deep into their own half, inviting Spurs to attack them incessantly. Thanks to veteran keeper Steve Ogrizovic, Gerry Francis' side were kept at bay, and Coventry went on to celebrate yet another last-gasp escape act.
What gets me is all these Sunderland kids they only go on about 1977. Just goes to show how much they know there history. Until I read Jim Browns books I wasn't even aware of 1977 being only 5 years old at the time.
I only just realised this 2 days ago reading this article, the same thing happened in 1997.
Think you will find that is incorrect and as in 1977 we had this God-like power to stop all the traffic and cause a backlog that delayed the kick off.
We hold that much infinite power.
Think you will find that is incorrect and as in 1977 we had this God-like power to stop all the traffic and cause a backlog that delayed the kick off.
We hold that much infinite power.
Sunderland were understandably aggrieved, and - according to Jimmy Hill - Alan Hardaker of the Football League reprimanded Coventry for their part in the unfortunate events of the evening. At a subsequent hearing the club were exonerated of all wrong-doing and the matter was buried.
not wishing a banning order but do you think its only coventry fans who have difficulty getting to games on time?
do you think that all 10,000 plus sunderland fans were inside goodison for start of the midweek game? or in 1997 were the 15,000 sunderland fans inside for kick-off in south west london. they had to travel the same route as coventry fans plus 4 hours on the start and an extra bit getting through london.
the kick-off time is clearly stated and should be observed unless a medical or genuine emergency. to use these provisions to gain a tactical advantage is very unsporting.
what about the fans who get there on time but have trains to catch later?
using off-field antics to gain an advantage on-field would be considered cheating by many. if every team involved took the same attitude no game would ever start.
Only problem with your comment is that it wasn't the club that decided to delay the kick off.
The decision was made by the Police, because of the number of fans still outside the ground.
I presume that the rationale was to avoid some sort of crush caused by people panicing to get in.
Page 54, Coventry City - The Elite Era by Jim Brown
Only problem with your comment is that it wasn't the club that decided to delay the kick off.
The decision was made by the Police, because of the number of fans still outside the ground.
I presume that the rationale was to avoid some sort of crush caused by people panicing to get in.
what about the sunderland fans panicing to get in at goodison and selhurst park, didn't they panic enough?
if there was an "emergency situation" which i'm sorry but i doubt to use it to gain an advantage is unsporting at the very least.
what about the sunderland fans panicing to get in at goodison and selhurst park, didn't they panic enough?
if there was an "emergency situation" which i'm sorry but i doubt to use it to gain an advantage is unsporting at the very least.
Exactly. Absolutely nothing to do with the club delaying the kick off.
Unless of course you are stupid enough to also think we are Mystic Meg and knew that Sunderland would go down 2-0 in advance of the game? This would be a conspiracy bigger than the Watergate scandal.
You think we delayed the kick off on the off chance that Sunderland might lose their game and then we could have a chat to Bristol about us playing out for a draw? Fantasy stuff and you'd have to be as thick as pig shit to believe that.
If it was fixed before the game why the fook did we go 2-0 up and were all over Bristol and could have had more?
It is absolutely clear that any decision was made after hearing that Sunderland had lost and there was no pre-match fixing involved, including the game being delayed. The police actually said they delayed the game.
Jimmy Hill was very aware that knowing the sunderland score in advance would be an advantage. hundreds of thousands of football fans knew the same.
Jimmy Hill was the forerunner to ensure that NO MORE corrupt end of the season antics take place. ALL games that have bearings on key positions MUST kick-off at the same time, if one is delayed they all are.
Surely, that's down to the individual police forces, not the club?
Knowing the Sunderland score in advance would only be an advantage if Sunderland lost you fool!! :facepalm: Where the fook does the would be an advantage come from. All you had to do was draw or win.
Fook me.
:facepalm:
dont think they will be all that bitter anymore like. far better gates 2 divisions higher than us an owner who cares dearly for his football club. If anything we should want to be more like them
i'm a cov fan mate been going for years probably long before you were born
i'm a cov fan mate been going for years probably long before you were born
It could have been an advantage not would have been an advantage.
How could it have been an advantage if you had have won? Could have, not would have!
Maybe stop putting "like" or should I say "leek" in your posts
if we had won then the other two teams involved would have had to fight it out fairly in a proper football match for 90 minutes. i believe coventry had the better goal difference so that would have infuenced the bristol "tactics" and how they played the game.
i'm surprised you think that knowing exactly what result you need to get in terms of how to play the game isn't an advantage.
out of interest, how do you feel about a football club chairman sitting on a panel that is judging his own team on a cheating charge? do you think that is a conflict of interests? i struggle to think of anyone apart from Jimmy Hill who thinks that is honourable behaviour.
anyway, no doubts the moderators will have finished they're sunday morning baquettes soon and my ban will be in the post.
for me whether you want to hear this or not i believe that Jimmy Hill is a cheating hypocrite of the highest order. his actions put a stain over your club forever.
it really is a shame for the honest coventry people who aren't proud about what happened getting tarred with the same brush. their voices are seldom heard.
Yep, it was the 'like' thing that stood out for me too, also the talking about their owner clearly caring about their club.
not really you would think they would want new members.... I just wanted to come along talk about my beloved coventry city didnt want all these false accusations, they're worse than the gestapo
not really you would think they would want new members.... I just wanted to come along talk about my beloved coventry city didnt want all these false accusations, they're worse than the gestapo
been going since the 50s mate seen all the highs and the lows the point I was making was that sunderland are in a far better position now than we are and I dont see how they will be bitter
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