People with Long Memories ?

[Rob Buckingham 0]

Hi There

New to the board, but read it occassionaly ...

I had a question for the people of the site...

My dad often "goes on about" how in 1985 - after we had won the milk cup and after we had played our last league game - coventry were in the relegation zone and we were safe but coventry still had FOUR games to play .. anyway he says by the last of these these four fixtures coventry now required a win against league champions everton (them again) ... and he reckons Everton "threw" this game 4-1 with some blatantly non committed defending and general play. As such we got relegated- but returned the next year .....

My question is... does anyone remember this incident or know anything about it ... i have confirmed everything bar how everton played that day and wanted to see if my dad is on the level - as it is one of his favourite hobby horses ..... especially since last season''s Fa cup game....

Thanks for any help .....

Bye

[shropshire canary 0]

I remember watching teletext well that Sunday afternoon and simply couldn''t believe my eyes!

Everton had won the league, lost the FA Cup final and had a Cup Winners Cup final to come I think I remember correctly, so put out a half hearted team and played less than half heartedly as it was simply an end of season farewell to Goodison.

Unbelievable! The cat ran a mile to avoid being kicked in our house I can assure you!

What with that and last seasons racist slur there''s no love lost between us and Everton, so I look forward to an enjoyable night out tomorrow: we certainly need a point or 3!

[Temp the Revelator 0]

I think it was actually worse than that, they fielded a half-strength team and didn''t try at all, and actually lost 5-1........

[Pieman 0]

I read Stuart Pearce''s autobiography last year, he was playing for Coventry at the time. Apparently the Everton squad went out on the beer the night before the game to celebrate winning the league, and were still pretty drunk during the game. "We could smell the alcohol on every Everton player" Pearce even states in his book he felt a bit sorry for us, but not that sorry as we went down instead of them !!

Can''t see that sort of thing happening these days !!

[Super Shaun Carey 0]

Your dad is spot on my friend.

Have never liked Everton, or indeed Coventry a great deal since.

Total injustice, and if it happened today, radio phone-ins, 606, etc would be swamped with callers. Disgusting.

[westoncanary. 0]

Thanks Pieman, I knew I had read comments about the Everton lads being lashed up from the night before, but I didn''t want to post about it without being sure!!

I remember it well, I was living in Germany at the time and there was hardly any sports coverage that day, so I had to wait until midday the following day when the English papers finally arrived in the NAAFI to even get the result. Nightmare. Well at least we won the (old) 2nd division the next season, hopefully not something we will have to worry about next season!!  

[Pee Wees dad<FONT face=Tahoma>Pee Wees dad<FONT> 0]

I remember it being just three games to go and nine points needed. But, yes, Everton threw the game.

As a result of this Football League changed the rules and since then fixtures within a division all have to finish on the same day.

[Tumbleweed 106]

My recollection is that Everton fielded a side with an average age of about 17. I also recall that it was because of this incident that the FA decreed that all matches must end at the same time in order that one team has no unfair advantage, but I may be wrong.

Regarding the love lost there was also the poaching of Dave Watson many years back and then Mike Walker in 94.

[BIC 0]

That 4-1 Coventry win, at Highfield road, is just another incident in a long line of events that make Everton the team I hate most by far (after the scum, obviously, but not far off).
As I recall it we were 8 points clear of Coventry after we beat Chelsea 2-1 away in our last game and they had 3 games left. They then went on to beat someone and then Luton, before Everton collapsed. I was watching on Teletext too and could scarcely believe it. It was a total disgrace.
After that game the league decided that this situation could never happen again. The useless gets should have made the two teams replay the game though.
Personally, I still need revenge for the pain and suffering caused.
We MUST win tomorrow.

[Gentleman Jim 0]

March 14th. "Last" game of the season. City beat Chelsea away 2-1. Coventry 0-0 v Ipswich.

If Ipswich had won that well ......Anyway Coventry had three more games to play.

City had 49pts. Coventry 41pts.  therefore Coventry had to get 3 Wins.

March 17th. Stoke 0-1 Coventry

         23rd. Coventry 1-0 Luton

         26th. Coventry  4-1 Everton. (Most of Everton first team players had already gone on holiday. true)

Everton won the league by 13 pts also were unluckily beaten in extra time 0-1 in the cup final.

Good news though City bounced back the following year winning Div2 by 7 points whilst Ipswich were relegated from Div1.

[Intenso 0]

And another thing about Everton.

Mention has been made about Graham Stuart''s goals saving Everton from relegation on the last game of the season against Wimbledon. Remember Wimbledon, with Hans Segers in goal, let slip a 2-0 lead.

It was only a short reprieve for Mike Walker who was sacked the following season after recording only one win in the first four months.

[Tumbleweed 106]

That day when Everton came from behind to beat Wimbledon was one of the games mentioned most frequently during the match fixing allegations against Bruce Grobelaar, many were the rumours which I shan''t repeat here. In addition I remember tales of how Everton fans kept the Wimbledon players up all night by telephoning their hotel rooms and parading noisily outside and massive intimidation when they arrived at the stadium- bricks hurled at the coach. All in all, after Ipswich (and perhaps Wolves), the club I love to hate the most.

[mat gore 0]

Will never forget how they deliberately lost.

They fielded only one player who had played first team football and were alledgedly all drunk.  Rumours abound about a falling out between Ken Brown and Howard Kendall earlier in the season being the motive for this.

I hate Everton even more than a certain team down the road.  The row last year only made things worse.  I''ve always hoped they would go down and but for a couple of fixed matches they would have.

Lets hope we can get a result tonight.