Matchday Memories: On This Day 1972 – Baggies Bounced Out Of The Cup By Cantwell’s CCFC

On this day (January 15th) in 1972 the Sky Blues under Noel Cantwell, having gone down 2-4 to Newcastle United in the league the previous Saturday, travelled again (to the Hawthorns) for a Third Round FA Cup tie with West Bromwich Albion and came away with a 2-1 win. After a dreadful back end to 1971 the Baggies had beaten both Liverpool and Ipswich Town in their Christmas league fixtures so the win was a welcome one for the Sky Blues.

In the league, back in August the two teams had fought out a 1-1 draw at the Hawthorns thanks to an ‘Ernie’ Hunt goal.  ‘Cov Kid’ ex Sky Blue centre forward and future Sky Blue manager (and CCFPA member) Bobby Gould was in the Baggies’ forward line that day but failed to score!

(Now a CCFPA membership pair) goalkeeper Bill Glazier and Roy Barry returned to the Sky Blues team on this day and the rugged Scottish central defender was colossal in this game.

There was little to choose between the two sides in the first half until three minutes before the break Dennis Mortimer brilliantly set up a Billy Rafferty goal (both are also now CCFPA members).

The advantage lasted until just before the hour when the Baggies’ star striker Tony ‘Bomber’ Brown equalised.

Finally, however, on 81 minutes the Sky Blues were able to settle the tie when our No.9 Chris Chilton steered a great header past John Osborne from a Willie Carr corner.

This was a decisive, if fairly rare, Sky Blue goal from the striker (he only got for in 29 appearances for us). This was City’s first Cup win against a top division side away from Highfield Road for sixty years!

 

Cantwell’s CCFC lined up as follows that day:-

Bill Glazier, Wilf Smith, Chris Cattlin, Dennis Mortimer, Roy Barry, Bobby Parker, Ernie Machin*, Willie Carr, Chris Chilton*, Billy Rafferty and Ian St John* (sub. Ernie Hunt*)

Sadly the two Ernies and both ‘the Saint’ and Chris Chilton (in 2021) have since passed on to other celestial playing fields. All the above players except Chris and Ian later joined CCFPA.

The West Brom team (and match officials) was as per programme (left)

City’s F.A.Cup journey lasted only a short time in 1971-72 as they went out in the Fourth round at Highfield Road in a fairly limp display to a lower league side Hull City to the only goal scored by Ken Wagstaff. Soon afterwards Noel Cantwell was sacked.

In Division One, in a fairly nondescript season, with caretaker manager Bob Dennison in charge (from March 1972) the Sky Blues managed to do enough to survive finishing in eighteenth place eight points clear of trouble.

For the record City were beaten in the league at Highfield Road by 2-0 by the Baggies in March 1972. However, W.B.A. finished only a couple of places higher than CCFC just two points better off.

Nottingham Forest and bottom club Huddersfield Town were the two clubs to be ejected from the top flight at the end of the season. Forest’s East Midlands’ rivals Derby County took the title in a close race pipping all of the next three clubs by just a point, in order, Leeds United, Liverpool and Manchester City.

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