In the next in the current series where we present images of Coventry City programmes and memorabilia through the years we reach CCFC’s 1927-28 season in the third tier of English football.
CCFPA chairman Jim Brown and committee member Mike Young have been building up a collection of full programme images from CCFC issues pre-1945 (more than seven hundred home and away to date). All images are taken from the collection and copyright CCFPA (and must not be reproduced without permission).
Home programmes from the 1927-28 Division Three South season remain pretty scarce (we are aware of only ten home games so far) so there are many gaps in our collection of images. This season’s programme design copied the previous season’s with only the date on the front changed, once again being of ‘normal’ size. The ‘official organ‘ remains priced at two-pence (old money) but for ten pages (reduced from 12 last season and 16 the previous season).
It repeats the nice engraving (by Coventry Engraving & Advertising Services Ltd.) of the Coventry Three Spires amidst a City-scape plus an inset of the civic badge (with elephant). Half of the front page is taken up with an advert for ‘Mitchells & Butlers‘ beer.
Former CCFC player James Kerr is still in the gaffer’s chair and the club President remains Alderman Fred Lee (now the Lord Mayor). Another Alderman Frank Snape shared the Vice Presidents’ role with Harry Smith of local car manufacturer Rover. The five man Board of Directors was again chaired by W.Carpenter and also included former goalkeeper Harry Whitehouse who played for both Singers FC and CCFC in the Birmingham League days and before (from 1896-1911)
The season had started off pretty patchily with four victories (three at home) and four defeats in the first ten games. Today’s match against the Hatters was a benefit game for City’s left winger on the day Fred ‘Cute’ Herbert and a new club flag proudly flew over Highfield Road to mark the occasion.
The Page One editorial ‘From The Boardroom‘ both congratulated local worthy Alderman Drinkwater for gaining the ‘Freedom of the City’ and bemoaned the rain storm which ‘scarred’ the Bonfire Night firework display the club had put on at the stadium on November 5th! It also marked the transfer of long time full back Jackie Randle to Birmingham City to now play in the First Division as well as celebrating the completion of a new cover on the front of the main stand upping sheltered accommodation at the ground to 9,000!
After a review of the outcome of recent first team and reserve games and a brief discussion of the merits of the visiting team there were also some general ‘bon mots’ on footballing matters.
The usual double centre page team spread surrounded by adverts follows and then a full league table showing City in fourteeth place (out of 22). There is half a page of ‘Supporter’s Club Notes‘ (Hon.Sec. J.H.Lissaman) and a full page of fixtures and results for the First Team and Reserves. Interestingly the Reserves played in two league competitions, the London Combination and (strangely) the East Midlands League and their results are combined. The final page (not devoted to ads) features the codes for the announcement of half time scores.
The teams were as per programme. The game ended in a fairly comfortable 4-2 win for CCFC with the home team 3-1 up at half time through a brace from Walter Johnstone (twelve & forty minutes) and one from Jimmy Heathcote three minutes before the break. Jimmy got his second twenty minutes before the end. Syd Reid (35 mins) and Jimmy Yardley (75 mins) got the Hatters’ consolations.
The City only won five home games all season so today’s result was a rarity for CCFC fans and, in another poor season, they just survived two places above the bottom.
Season 1927-28 Final Table P.42 W.11 D.9 L.22 F.67-96A Pts.37 Pos.20th/22
See next time’s article about another Division Three South season in 1928-29!
If anyone knows the whereabouts of any other CCFC home programme from this season we would be eager to hear from you!
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Some of these featured programmes can be seen in more detail by clicking our ‘Progs’ tab (at top). There are still lots of gaps which you may be able to help fill so if you have any prewar programme – home or away – of City games, the earlier the better, we would be grateful if you could let Mike Young know what you have got so he can check whether it fills a hole in our database (for his contact email see contacts page). If it is, then he will make arrangements with you to get it scanned or photocopied as appropriate.
Though we have asked before we still hope that some of our FPA members, associate members (and general readers) will be able to protect a bit more of the club’s important heritage for posterity and in doing so help make the Club’s (and your) history come alive again!
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