For those that remember 1967 (8 Viewers)

bigfatronssba · 2025-12-27T22:00:17+0000

Did it feel like this? I know we had a good few years before promotion, but did you go into the 66-67 season expecting promotion? Once you got to Christmas, did it feel like we were really going to do it?
I'd love to know from the older fans if it feels similar to this season.

If we do pull it off, this will be something that most of the fanbase will have never experienced

sc1940 · 2025-12-27T23:13:09+0000

It was much closer in 67, we didn't start opening a gap until around March. From memory Wolves were favourite to win the league until we beat them.

robbiethemole · 2025-12-27T23:19:28+0000

I was 13, so lots of stuff went over my head, but it did start to feel special after Feb. Every game had a real buzz around it and people were talking about if it would happen (history is repeating ) As a child, I started going with my Dad, but by 13 it was with a couple of mates on Marvins bus from Rugby. The old man was always keen to keep up with things tho, and my Mum (who died 8 years ago aged 100 ) always asked 'how's the City doing ?'.

capel & collindridge · 2025-12-27T23:20:05+0000

sc1940 said:
It was much closer in 67, we didn't start opening a gap until around March. From memory Wolves were favourite to win the league until we beat them.

That's how I remember it too.

sc1940 · 2025-12-27T23:46:27+0000

Looking at that year's final table, we finished on 59 points (2 points for a win) So in today's value 23 wins and 13 draws = 82. But that was a 42 game season. So that would equate to 90 points (89.8) over a 46 game season. Coincidently the number we are visualising now.

Mucca Mad Boys · 2025-12-28T00:00:49+0000

sc1940 said:
Looking at that year's final table, we finished on 59 points (2 points for a win) So in today's value 23 wins and 13 draws = 82. But that was a 42 game season. So that would equate to 90 points (89.8) over a 46 game season. Coincidently the number we are visualising now.

I think we’ll beat that. We’re currently on 2.2 ppg and we’ve more or less played the entire top half away from home, with only Hull and Bristol City to play in the Top 6. Birmingham’s home form has dropped off so what looked like a scary fixture looks winnable now.

Our away form has slowed because we’ve had tough games, after Wrexham the away form is 2-2-1 but those games have been against Stoke, Boro, Ipswich, PNE and Southampton. That’s a tough run that most teams would struggle with.

Irish Sky Blue · 2025-12-28T00:09:07+0000

My first game was a 2-1 home win against fellow promotion contenders Carlisle in February 1967. As a nine year old I just thought that we were fantastic and that promotion was inevitable as we were obviously the best team in the league.

Having read all the books about that season, particularly Jim Brown’s and also listened to his Sky Blues History podcast my childish certainty in our success was at least slightly misplaced.

The previous year we had finished third and missed out on promotion by a whisker on the last day of the season. The expectation amongst the fans therefore was that 66-67 was going to be our season. However we didn’t start particularly well and Jimmy Hill was taking a lot of criticism. The low point I think was the falling out between Hill and our midfield genius Ian Gibson. We were off the pace, Gibson was out of the team and wanting a transfer and an odd gate below 20k showed that promotion was looking a distant prospect.

With Coventry sitting 7th in late November, Hill and Gibson made up and the team never looked back after beating Cardiff 3-2 remaining unbeaten (25 matches?) until the end of the season.

We confirmed promotion 4 games from the end of the season with a draw at Cardiff. This meant when we met Wolves a week later at Highfield Road in the ‘Midlands Match of the Century’ (Hill’s words) both teams were already promoted. Even though we beat Wolves that day in front of a record 50k+ crowd, Wanderers remained favourites for the title. However on the last day of the season, Wolves lost at Palace and we beat Millwall to clinch the title.

I was lucky enough to see 6 of our last 8 home games that season including the Wolves (memories of which will stay with me forever) and Millwall games.

I think there are a few differences between that season and this one. Expectation in 1966 was really high. I think fans really thought we would get promoted ( and in those days that meant finishing top two, no play offs). I think this season expectations were also high but I think most would have been happy with another play off push. I think most fans would admit that they never expected us to challenge for the title.

In 66-67 we never dominated the league in the way we have this season. Throughout the season we were challenged by Wolves, Blackburn, Carlisle and I think Huddersfield. It was only at the end that Wolves and ourselves pulled clear.

In 1966 it was much easier to make a snap decision to go to a game. You’d pay on the gate and stand on the terrace. Season tickets weren’t anywhere near as big a thing as they are now. This season we have been guaranteed, at least in theory, 24k. In 66-67 the range of gates was massive. The lowest being under 20k and the highest being over 50k. The average that season was about 28k so we will beat that this season.

Since we hit the top this season we have dominated the league and have become clear favourites. I would think in 66-67 we were one of the favourites but the odds would have been a lot longer than this season.

I think they are very different seasons in the way that they have played out. Hopefully the final outcome will be the same, perhaps not as close or as nerve wracking this season.

StrettoBoy · 2025-12-28T00:19:44+0000

I was 11 at the start of that season, turning 12 in February. I always had the eternal optimism of youth that we would get promotion but we certainly weren’t running away with things. Our performances seemed to get better as the season went on.

I well remember the famous victory against Wolves that secured success. There were thousands of fans around the edge of the pitch, up the floodlight pylons, on the stand roofs and on the roof of the Spion Kop toilets.

At the end of the match thousands of us invaded the pitch to celebrate. What a day it was!

dadgad · 2025-12-28T03:24:49+0000

robbiethemole said:
I was 13, so lots of stuff went over my head, but it did start to feel special after Feb. Every game had a real buzz around it and people were talking about if it would happen (history is repeating ) As a child, I started going with my Dad, but by 13 it was with a couple of mates on Marvins bus from Rugby. The old man was always keen to keep up with things tho, and my Mum (who died 8 years ago aged 100 ) always asked 'how's the City doing ?'.

Marvin’s!!! They used to pick me up at Lawford by which time the inside of the bus was a fug of tobacco smoke; Woodbines mostly. The matches were not easy, cagey affairs with lots of effort. Ian Gibson was the catalyst ably supported by Curtis, Farmer, Bruck, Machin, Rees and Glazier, all good, but Gibbo had that little bit of genius that time and time again unlocked defences.
The Wolves match is justly regarded as iconic and unforgettable by all those who were there….well over 51K btw,

JohnWH · 2025-12-28T04:01:25+0000

Three cheers for whoever is willing to update wikipedia's general "1967" column to include a few sentences for the date promotion was secured.
I just took a read thru the year as a whole and, whew, it was a busy year from a global history perspective.
Coups, wars, Thurgood Marshall, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and Charles Manson releaseed from prison....
Dare say, the Coventry promotion into top flight (for a 30+ year tenure!) could be due a good shout on the first place kids go to (before AI?? Damn kids these days will never slouch thru microfilm) for their history papers.

Otis · 2025-12-28T07:04:50+0000

I was just a little too young to remember.

First games I ever remember past reserve games, was the first season on Division 1, so after we got promoted.

Irish Sky Blue · 2025-12-28T08:13:43+0000

Irish Sky Blue said:
My first game was a 2-1 home win against fellow promotion contenders Carlisle in February 1967. As a nine year old I just thought that we were fantastic and that promotion was inevitable as we were obviously the best team in the league.

Having read all the books about that season, particularly Jim Brown’s and also listened to his Sky Blues History podcast my childish certainty in our success was at least slightly misplaced.

The previous year we had finished third and missed out on promotion by a whisker on the last day of the season. The expectation amongst the fans therefore was that 66-67 was going to be our season. However we didn’t start particularly well and Jimmy Hill was taking a lot of criticism. The low point I think was the falling out between Hill and our midfield genius Ian Gibson. We were off the pace, Gibson was out of the team and wanting a transfer and an odd gate below 20k showed that promotion was looking a distant prospect.

With Coventry sitting 7th in late November, Hill and Gibson made up and the team never looked back after beating Cardiff 3-2 remaining unbeaten (25 matches?) until the end of the season.

We confirmed promotion 4 games from the end of the season with a draw at Cardiff. This meant when we met Wolves a week later at Highfield Road in the ‘Midlands Match of the Century’ (Hill’s words) both teams were already promoted. Even though we beat Wolves that day in front of a record 50k+ crowd, Wanderers remained favourites for the title. However on the last day of the season, Wolves lost at Palace and we beat Millwall to clinch the title.

I was lucky enough to see 6 of our last 8 home games that season including the Wolves (memories of which will stay with me forever) and Millwall games.

I think there are a few differences between that season and this one. Expectation in 1966 was really high. I think fans really thought we would get promoted ( and in those days that meant finishing top two, no play offs). I think this season expectations were also high but I think most would have been happy with another play off push. I think most fans would admit that they never expected us to challenge for the title.

In 66-67 we never dominated the league in the way we have this season. Throughout the season we were challenged by Wolves, Blackburn, Carlisle and I think Huddersfield. It was only at the end that Wolves and ourselves pulled clear.

In 1966 it was much easier to make a snap decision to go to a game. You’d pay on the gate and stand on the terrace. Season tickets weren’t anywhere near as big a thing as they are now. This season we have been guaranteed, at least in theory, 24k. In 66-67 the range of gates was massive. The lowest being under 20k and the highest being over 50k. The average that season was about 28k so we will beat that this season.

Since we hit the top this season we have dominated the league and have become clear favourites. I would think in 66-67 we were one of the favourites but the odds would have been a lot longer than this season.

I think they are very different seasons in the way that they have played out. Hopefully the final outcome will be the same, perhaps not as close or as nerve wracking this season.

COVKIDSNEVERQUIT · 2025-12-28T15:58:36+0000

Last time we got promoted to the top flight the year had a six in it.

For those that remember 1967 (8 Viewers)

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robbiethemole

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Mucca Mad Boys

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Irish Sky Blue

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For those that remember 1967 (8 Viewers)

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