The last time Coventry City were league leaders and 23 years since a top-of-the-table encounter
Jim Brown looks back at Coventry Sporting's FA Cup run 40 years on and remembers a former goalkeeper who passed a
ve Sadaqah Jtt Kite reminded me this week that we are approaching the 40th anniversary of Coventry Sporting’s famous FA Cup run which saw them get the scalp of league club Tranmere Rovers.
Matt is the son of David Kite who was the manager of Sporting at the time and both father and son have been big City fans for many years.
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After progressing through the FA Cup qualifying rounds, Sporting reached the First Round proper for the first and only time in their history.
The draw paired them with Tranmere and it was quickly clear that their small ground at Kirby Corner would be unable to cope with a sizeable crowd.
Coventry Sporting 1975
Coventry City stepped in and offered to host the tie at Highfield Road. And on November 22, 1975 Sporting pulled off a major giant-killing act, beating their high-flying Division Four opponents 2-0 with both goals scored by 19-year old Rolls Royce apprentice Stewart Gallagher.
A crowd of 4,565 watched the tie and gave a massive financial boost to the part-timers .
In the second round Sporting, whose assistant manager was former City and England goalkeeper Reg Matthews, were given another home tie, this time the visitors were Third Division Peterborough United.
The fans were dreaming of another victory followed by a tie with Coventry City in round three.
Posh however, managed by former City boss Noel Cantwell, had other ideas and shattered the dream, winning 4-0 in front of over 8,500 fans at Highfield Road.
David