Today’s On This Day feature is the Coventry City programme from the 1982/83 season. Our review of the issue is shown below and you can check out the other Division One programmes from the season here.
Coventry’s ‘Sky Blues’ programme for 1982/83 was a 24-page A5 issue that featured 19 pages of content and some interesting reading.
‘They Gave the Game Colour’ profiled former Sky Blues keeper Alf Wood, who joined Coventry in December 1935. Originally an understudy to Bill Morgan, he received a call-up to the Army at the outbreak of the Second World War before being invalided out. Having recovered by 1944 Wood went on to make 260 consecutive appearances for Coventry, before joining Northampton Town in 1951. He returned to Coventry as a coach in 1955 and played in 12 further games for the club at the age of 42. ‘Golden Oldies’ was in a similar vein, recalling forward Eddie Brown, who made his name at the club in the early 1950s, scoring 50 goals in 82 games before moving to Birmingham City.
‘Best in Their Position’ was a recurring feature that analysed key players that had occupied a given position on the pitch. For this issue the focus was on those who had worn the number four – relating to the old position of right-half but which in contemporary usage would have meant either a midfield or central defensive role. The article referred to prominent early exponents of the role, including Everton’s Cliff Britton and Wolves’ Billy Wright in the early part of his career.
There was also a slightly odd excerpt reproduced from the Coventry Evening Telegraph, in which a lead article criticised club chairman Jimmy Hill for driving fans away from Highfield Road with an “all-seater stadium and high same-day admission prices”. The accompanying text notes that the Editor of the paper was none other than Geoffrey Elliott – Vice President of Coventry City! ‘Press Box’ meanwhile was a column that offered thoughts on the status of the League Cup, then known as the Milk Cup, which the top sides were taking increasingly seriously, as evidenced by Liverpool having won the competition two years in succession.
The cover for the fixture against Aston Villa featured a shot of Gerry Francis in action against Ipswich Town, with the team line-ups provided on page 3. Manager Dave Sexton penned a short column in which he welcomed near neighbours and then European Champions Aston Villa to Highfield Road. There was a two-page results and fixtures spread, which also included pictures of forward Garry Thompson who had scored in the club’s previous match against Norwich City. Further pictures from the Canaries fixture were provided over the centre pages of the programme. There was also youth team coverage in the shape of a profile of one Sky Blues youngster, as well as a two-page feature that profiled the couple who ran the hostel accommodation used by Coventry’s apprentices.
Coverage of opponents Aston Villa was over two pages, set against a backdrop of an aerial shot of Villa Park. A team group picture shows the team posing with the European Cup they had won against Bayern Munich in May 1982. The feature includes a short history of the club and profiles of each member of the team, with additional photos of some key players and manager Tony Barton.
With several very readable features, the Coventry programme certainly offered good value for money, being among the cheapest editions in the top-flight in 1982/83 at a cost of 30p. The historical content was key to the programme’s value, offering well-written insights into former Sky Blues players.