Category: Match of the Month

Birmingham City v Aston Villa, 1984

Match of the Month

Birmingham City welcomed neighbours Aston Villa to St Andrew’s at the end of March 1984 with manager Ron Saunders the central figure. Villa’s league form had been in decline since winning the title under Saunders in 1980/81, their first league championship for 71 years (and their last to date). However after Saunders’ dramatic departure in…

By Paul W March 31, 2024 0
Read More

Bristol Rovers v Cardiff City, 1983

Match of the Month

Bristol Rovers welcomed Cardiff City to Eastville for the final game of the 1982-83 season. The fixture included many famous football names of the past, and future. Cardiff were already promoted and a point secured second place behind Portsmouth, and an immediate return to the Second Division. Bristol Rovers finished in 7th place. There was…

By Paul W May 14, 2023 0
Read More

Notts County v Mansfield Town, 1987

Match of the Month

Notts County met Mansfield Town in a rare Nottinghamshire derby in October 1987. County had spent the early part of the decade in the First Division, before successive relegations. Mansfield were in the Fourth Division until promotion in 1985-86. When the clubs met in the Third Division on Boxing Day 1986, it was their first…

By Paul W October 15, 2022 0
Read More

Stoke City v Luton Town, 1982

Match of the Month

Stoke City welcomed Luton Town to the Victoria Ground in September 1982. It was a high-scoring day in the First Division – results included Coventry 4 Everton 2, Notts County 0 Ipswich 6, Spurs 4 Forest 1, Watford 8 Sunderland 0, and West Ham 4 Manchester City 1. The game at the Victoria Ground matched…

By Paul W September 25, 2022 0
Read More

Portsmouth v Southampton, 1987

Match of the Month

Portsmouth hosted Southampton at Fratton Park in August 1987 in the first-ever meeting of the two clubs in the top division of English football. The former Southern League rivals had first met in the Football League in September 1920 as members of the newly-formed Third Division. Promoted in May 1987, Pompey were returning to the…

By Paul W August 20, 2022 0
Read More

Sunderland v Brighton & Hove Albion, 1982

Match of the Month

Sunderland went into this First Division fixture at Roker Park needing a win near the end of Alan Durban’s first season in charge. His side were struggling just outside the relegation zone, while visitors Brighton were comfortably in mid-table under manager Mike Bailey, also enjoying his first season at the South Coast club. David Snowdon’s…

By Paul W May 1, 2022 0
Read More

Leicester City v Wimbledon, 1987

Match of the Month

Leicester City welcomed Wimbledon for the first time in February 1987, as the two clubs met at Filbert Street. The Dons had been a league club for less than a decade, and were enjoying their debut season in English football’s top flight. Leicester were experimenting with a new management structure. Former Northern Ireland international Bryan…

By Paul W February 6, 2022 0
Read More

Chelsea v Stoke City, 1974

Match of the Month

Chelsea and Stoke City were First Division rivals in the early 1970s, and took part in the 1972 League Cup final. At the end of October 1974, the clubs met four times in a matter of weeks. Their League Cup Third Round tie required two replays, and was eventually won 6-2 by Stoke at the…

By Paul W October 31, 2021 0
Read More