Now we offer the next in this current series in which we present images of Coventry City programmes through the years. CCFPA chairman Jim Brown and committee member Mike Young have been building up a collection of more than 700 full programme images from CCFC issues pre 1945. These images are taken from the collection. Today we cover a cup rather than Southern League issue from City's 1912-13 season and it's against illustrious Football League opponents!

16th Jan.1913 F.A.Cup Rnd 1 Replay Coventry City 1-2 Manchester United (att. 20,042) Manchester Utd (FAC1r) (h) 16-01-1913 front

This (right) is the only known image of a programme front from this fair-to-middling season in the club's fifth season in the Southern League. Previous club director David Cooke had taken over the reigns of the club as Chairman and Managing Director and 'Bob' Wallace continued as Secretary-Manager. Former Player Eli Juggins who had taken over as Trainer at the back end of last season continued (assisted by Tom Arnold). The team was very different to the previous campaign.

The programme shows a complete redesign from previous seasons but is still produced externally by Allen Greaves. As to the content we can only guess!! If anyone knows the whereabouts of this programme or any other from this season we would be eager to hear from you!

In this particular game City were drawn against Manchester United again (after their Second Round 1-5 home defeat the previous season).

CCFC's Harry Parkes

This time the Bantams did much better holding the Division One outfit 1-1 at Old Trafford the previous Saturday (Joe Mitchell got our goal on the hour mark). This replay, curiously on a Thursday, with a Bantam in club colours watching from the Highfield Road grandstand, saw Billy Meredith's United take the lead just before half-time (from centre half Charlie Roberts) before CCFC's Harry 'Tickle' Parkes equalised amid much excitement with six minutes to go. However the more powerful side managed to sneak the victory on 87 minutes with a goal from George Anderson. The crowd produced a record gate, the first over 20,000 in the City's Highfield Road history.

Sec-Mgr Robert 'Bob' Wallace

City's team was Bob Evans in goal; full backs Jim Thompson and Dick Barnacle, the half backs were Walter Kimberley, Albert Feebury and George Harris. City's forwards comprised:- Harry Parkes, Billy Yates, Alex McCullough, Joe Mitchell and Fred Holmes.

John Bentley's United team that day was:-

Robert Beale; James Hodge & George Stacey; Dick Duckworth, Charlie Roberts & Arthur Whalley; Billy Meredith, Alexander Turnbull, George Anderson, Enoch West & George Wall Referee:- J.Palmer (Hucknall (Notts))

Season 1912-13 P38, W13, D8, L17, F53-59A, Pts 34, Pos 13th/20 As far as the Southern League season went CCFC's form slipped dramatically after this defeat with the lower position a result. In fact after beating Stoke away and Watford at home in the rest of January City lost ten of the remaining fifteen Southern League games and the season ended at home with an ignominious 3-2 home defeat against ten man Bristol City who lost their injured goalie for all of the second half! The reserves did a lot better finishing second in the Birmingham & District League and carrying off the Nuneaton Hospitals Cup.

Look out on this site very soon for a look at a Coventry City programme form 1913-14 preceding the outbreak of the 'Great War'!

CCFC 1912-13

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!

Thanks to CCFPA's Mike Young for researching the article and sourcing the images. Share Post