thamesvalleyman
Striker
After the roller coaster game at Norwich, we headed into the last game of the season to Goodison Park. We took another huge following to this game, to put things in context Everton's previous 2 games had attracted 20102 and 24000 respectively but there were 36,075 at Goodison that night including around 10,000 Sunderland fans.
After a terrible start to the season (Played 23 9 points), we were top of the form table the previous 16 games W9 D7 L2.
Coventry were playing Bristol City the same night and the situation was very close. All 3 teams were level on the same points, with Coventry having the worst goal difference. So Bristol City and ourselves both needed a draw and Coventry were in the biggest danger of relegation.
For our part, a draw would be enough, or a defeat would even be ok if there was a decisive result in the other game.
It's quite clear that Jimmy Hill had pre-planned their game to kick off late, in those days it was extremely rare for a game to be delayed.
But delayed by 15 minutes it was.
So we kicked off at Everton but sadly the occasion seemed to get to the players and we froze on the night, losing 2-0 to goals from Latchford and Rioch.
The real drama of the night was at Highfield Road though. Coventry had gone 1-0 up and at half time it looked as if Bristol City were going down. Even more so when coventry went 2-0 up in the second half.
Bristol got one back and laid siege to the coventry goal, and equalised to bring the scores level. Bristol City continued to dominate and were looking like they might score again, which would potentially relegate the home side.
Meanwhile due to our game kicking off on time, it had finished and we had lost 2-0.
Hill then arranged for our score to be announced on the tannoy and shown on the scoreboard, this was very unusual at the time.
What then happened was an absolute disgrace as the sides made a mockery of football by not even trying. The Bristol City goalkeeper and defenders just passed the ball between themselves and the coventry players did not even try to get the ball.
A farcical end to the season and the tv pictures of the coventry and Bristol City players told you all you needed to know.
An inquiry was ordered into the events and bizarrely Jimmy Hill was part of the inquiry. Think of an accused man sitting on the jury of his trial and that's a good comparison.
Coventry were charged and found guilty of influencing a game by erroneous or foul means but although they were found guilty the result was allowed to stand and we were relegated in highly controversial fashion.
An absolute disgrace and for me one that I'll never forgive or forget. I'll hate the sky blue filth until they, or I, die and I'm hoping they will go first.
Ironically a few years later West Germany and Austria played out a tame 1-1 draw in the 1982 World Cup, this result allowed both teams to go through at the expense of Algeria whose game had finished. Hill then had the nerve to complain about the antics of both sides. Pot. Kettle. Black.
After a terrible start to the season (Played 23 9 points), we were top of the form table the previous 16 games W9 D7 L2.
Coventry were playing Bristol City the same night and the situation was very close. All 3 teams were level on the same points, with Coventry having the worst goal difference. So Bristol City and ourselves both needed a draw and Coventry were in the biggest danger of relegation.
For our part, a draw would be enough, or a defeat would even be ok if there was a decisive result in the other game.
It's quite clear that Jimmy Hill had pre-planned their game to kick off late, in those days it was extremely rare for a game to be delayed.
But delayed by 15 minutes it was.
So we kicked off at Everton but sadly the occasion seemed to get to the players and we froze on the night, losing 2-0 to goals from Latchford and Rioch.
The real drama of the night was at Highfield Road though. Coventry had gone 1-0 up and at half time it looked as if Bristol City were going down. Even more so when coventry went 2-0 up in the second half.
Bristol got one back and laid siege to the coventry goal, and equalised to bring the scores level. Bristol City continued to dominate and were looking like they might score again, which would potentially relegate the home side.
Meanwhile due to our game kicking off on time, it had finished and we had lost 2-0.
Hill then arranged for our score to be announced on the tannoy and shown on the scoreboard, this was very unusual at the time.
What then happened was an absolute disgrace as the sides made a mockery of football by not even trying. The Bristol City goalkeeper and defenders just passed the ball between themselves and the coventry players did not even try to get the ball.
A farcical end to the season and the tv pictures of the coventry and Bristol City players told you all you needed to know.
An inquiry was ordered into the events and bizarrely Jimmy Hill was part of the inquiry. Think of an accused man sitting on the jury of his trial and that's a good comparison.
Coventry were charged and found guilty of influencing a game by erroneous or foul means but although they were found guilty the result was allowed to stand and we were relegated in highly controversial fashion.
An absolute disgrace and for me one that I'll never forgive or forget. I'll hate the sky blue filth until they, or I, die and I'm hoping they will go first.
Ironically a few years later West Germany and Austria played out a tame 1-1 draw in the 1982 World Cup, this result allowed both teams to go through at the expense of Algeria whose game had finished. Hill then had the nerve to complain about the antics of both sides. Pot. Kettle. Black.
