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Well here they were Division One,everything looked good,a new west stand and fans couldn't wait for the first game.
Then came the bomb shell Jimmy Hill was leaving to take up a job with London Weekend Television as a presenter of the Big Match along side Brian Moore.It was believed that a disagreement between Chairman Derrick Robins and Hill over a contract which Hill wanted.But Robins insisted that Jimmy had an offer from TV that he couldn't refuse.
The end of Hill's era was in many ways a sad time,in his 5 year spell he had transformed an old fashioned,outdated club from the playing staff right through to the kit washer.When he left it was a modern club which was envied by clubs up and down the land.Robins stated that the Jimmy Hill years at the club was quite an experience and would be something that he would never forget.
Jimmy Hill stayed on as Manager until a successor was found.The opening game was a visit to turf moor to play Burnley were they went down 2-1 with a shot from Brian Lewis took a deflection of Dave Merrington,this was given as an own goal.7,000 fans made there way to turf moor to watch the team of Glazier,kearns,Bruck,Farmer,Curtis,Clements,Key,Machin,
Tudor,Lewis,Rees.This being there first defeat for nine months and 25 games.
Next up was Nottingham Forest who finished runners up the previous season,the gates were locked with a crowd of almost 45,000 saw city take the lead 3 times only to be pegged back.But the match will be remembered for George Curtis breaking his leg after only four minutes,with Bobby Gould coming on as sub and scoring two goals and Machin getting the other.Ian Storey-Moore scoring a Penalty passed Alan Dickie who deputising for the injured Glazier.
Hill's last game in charge was on 7th October a 4-0 hammering at Hillsborough which sent Sheff.weds top.Former Manchester United and Eire captain Noel Cantwell was appointed,as in Hill's case this was his first Managerial post.
His first match was on the 14th October at home to Tottenham in front of 38,000 with City losing 3-2 to a Jimmy Greaves 30 yarder worthy of winning any game and City unlucky not to get a point.It took until 16th December to get his first win,only the second of the season,it was a 5-1 home victory to Burnley with a Gould hat-trick with Rees and Machin getting the others.
City were struggling to find their feet,with defeats, draws and a win now and again.February bringing three wins on the bounce.Cantwell had brought in Ernie Hannigan(an old mate of Alex Ferguson)from Preston,Gerry Baker from Ipswich,and his old colleague at Old Trafford Maurice Setters from Stoke.Setters was brought in to put some steel into the defence as Curtis's Tony Knapp fell short of what was needed.
Cantwell also worked on his backroom staff this included appointing Pat Saward as his assistant,Jimmy Andrews as coach and Bob Dennison as chief scout,a position that would find so many youngsters that would make the grade over the coming years.
Cantwell again went into the tranfer market getting Neil Martin from Sunderland to replace Bobby Gould who had been sold to Arsenal and he began to score goals straight away including a hat-trick against Sheff Weds.They were becoming a battling team difficult to beat.
But in early March a fire had completely destroyed the main stand along with the Division Two trophy and the clubs records.
But with all hands to the pump a match against Champions Manchester United was played just days later.Cantwell had bought Chris Cattlin from Huddersfield Town and Ernie Hunt from Everton both were to become City legends.They made their debuts against United in front of 44,000 fans especially when only three sides of the ground was open.
City won 2-0 with Setters and Machin scoring and United were to become european champions 2 months later.This inspired City to lose only three of the remaining 10 games although not scoring in the last three games they stayed up by one point.
The bottom of the table looked like this
played won drew lost for against points
Coventry 42 9 15 18 51 71 33
Sheff Utd 42 11 10 21 49 70 32
Fulham 42 10 7 25 56 98 27
left Noel Cantwell who took over from Jimmy Hill
Below.The players open the new Coventry swimming baths
A Scottish forward line for the 2-1 home win against Chelsea.
left to right.Ernie Hannigan,Ian Gibson,Neil Martin,Gerry Baker,Willie Carr
