The Sky Blues were usually in the midst of a summer tour in May from the sixties onwards and several games were played on this day (23rd May) across the decades as shown by several of today’s posts.
In close season 1969 on this date, having survived only their second season in the top flight once more just above the relegation trap-door in Division One, a Sky Blues (under manager Noel Cantwell) set out for a relaxed three game tour in the warmth of the West Indies. The Sky Blues youth team had also flown out to Lille in France to take part in a ‘crack’ continental six team youth tournament. They put in a good performance including a 1-0 win over Benfica but despite being unbeaten were put out on goal difference.
The tour party consisted of the fourteen players below listed in alphabetical order (all of whom later became Association members)!:-
Jeff Blockley, Dietmar Bruck, Willie Carr, Chris Cattlin, Dave Clements, Mick Coop, the late George Curtis, Bill Glazier, the late Brian Hill, the late ‘Ernie’ Hunt, the late Ernie Machin, Neil Martin, the late Maurice Setters and Trevor Shepherd.
On this day the first team played their first tour game against the First Division Champions of Barbados, a team called New South Wales and came out with a 5-0 win thanks to a brace each from Trevor Shepherd and Neil Martin before the half time whistle and a second half strike from Willie Carr. Little more has been discovered about the game though, before the game, Noel’s preferred starting line-up was reported to be:-
Bill Glazier, Mick Coop, Chris Cattlin, Ernie Machin*, George Curtis*, Brian Hill*, Trevor Shepherd, Willie Carr, Neil Martin, ‘Ernie’ Hunt* and Dave Clements. (*sadly since passed away)
The Sky Blues played two further games, two days later against a Combined XI from the island nation which they easily won 7-1, and on June 4th, they took on Somerset (a club from Bermuda) and drew 1-1. Trevor, the young striker who showed his potential by scoring four on the tour, was transferred to Plymouth Argyle for a fee of £10k on his return from Barbados.
