Matchday Memories: On This Day 1972 – Colin Completes CCFC Debut As Mortimer Steals From Palace

On this day (October 7th) fifty one years ago CCFPA member, Scottish international Colin Stein made his debut for CCFC, who were then led by the management duo of Joe Mercer and (now CCFPA member) Gordon Milne. The Sky Blues were languishing near the bottom of Division One and came off the back of three straight defeats (to Newcastle United, West Bromwich Albion and Chelsea) before this game at the south London home of fellow strugglers Crystal Palace.

City, who were wearing their green and black striped away kit,  were missing central defender (and now CCFPA member) Jeff Blockley who had been sold to Arsenal for £200k (then, a club record) to allow the purchase of both Colin and fellow Scot and inspirational Sky Blue Tommy Hutchison (photo bottom left). Former Sky Blue, the late John Craven featured for Palace.

The Eagles also had their own debutants today, in a game watched by 22,229 fans, with both Charlie Cooke and Paddy Mulligan in place to try to prevent their fifth defeat in a row.

They came close but not close enough as the Sky Blues, never apparently in danger though pretty unimpressive themselves, grabbed the points with a last minute effort from Dennis Mortimer. It was that man Stein who was on hand to nod down a cross from (now Dennis and Colin’s fellow CCFPA member) David Smith to allow Dennis to volley home within the second minute of stoppage time.

The Sky Blues team chosen by the ‘M-men’ for this game was:-

Bill Glazier, Mick Coop,  Chris Cattlin, Ernie Machin*, Roy Barry, Bobby Parker, Dennis Mortimer, David Smith, Colin Stein, Willie Carr and Brian Alderson*.

*Ernie and Brian have sadly since passed away. We are proud to  say that every member of this team, bar Brian (who died prior to the formation of this Association), later went on to join CCFPA!

Bert Head‘s Palace XI was:-

John Jackson, Paddy Mulligan, Martin Hinshelwood (sub. Alan Pinkney), Iain Philip, John McCormick, Mel Blyth, Charlie Cooke, David Payne, John Craven, Bobby Kellard and Tony Taylor   Referee:- S.Kayley

The Sky Blues completed the double over the Palace at Highfield Road at the beginning of March defeating them by two clear goals, and it was no surprise Colin Stein got one of the goals (Brian Alderson the other)! 

The Sky Blues Division One season ended with seven successive defeats and a slide down the table. We finished just about safe in nineteenth two places and five points clear of the relegation zone and of the two teams that took the drop one was our opponents today Crystal Palace and the other was West Ham United.

Liverpool were Champs, three points clear from runners-up Arsenal.