Rich Report

SEASON 72/73 ON RECORD

City started the season with two new faces. The big name of the two was winger Tony Scott. Tony was signed in the close season from Bournemouth, and had previously played for Torquay, Aston Villa, and West Ham. Unlike Tony Scott the other new man, although signed from Bournemouth, had not as yet made a League appearance. He was, of course, Keith Clapham, who this season has more than lived up to John Newman's highest hopes.

City began the season on the wrong foot going down 1-0 at Southport. City were unlucky though, and were well worth a point. In the League Cup City again played well but did not get the result their performance deserved. Although the defence was tight and well organ- ised City were still not hitting the goal trail. City needed a forward and they paraded a new one in their home game against Bradford. Although he did not score City won 5-1. City followed this fine per- formance with a 0-3 defeat at Mansfield and a 1-1 draw at home to Hartlepool. Against Hartlepool City did not click until it was too late, and they seemed to be struggling to regain their form after the Mansfield game. Exeter then crushed Cambridge and then lost at Work- ington after they should have wrapped the game which they were in control of up.

City returned to the park to thrash Southport who had earlier knocked First Division Crystal Palace out of the League Cup at Palace. City then beat Aldershot and went down to Torquay and won. Those two goals at Torquay prompted supporters to talk in terms of Promotion.

Indifferent Spell

After the Plainmoor performance anything would have been an anti- climax. And sure enough City hit an indifferent spell. Although City were not playing with the same ruth- lessness the results kept coming. After a 1-2 defeat at Bury City picked up 22 points from 14 games. The run ended with a 4-2 victory over Workington which lifted City into second place behind Southport. City then started on a run of 10 matches for a return of only three points. This bad run began with a 1-0 defeat at home by Shrewsbury in a friendly. Believing we were invincible at home this defeat knocked City's confidence a little. In their next nine matches City failed to score in six of them. A goal, in fact, was the difference between a point and nothing. Had the ball gone in once or twice we would still be in the hunt now. As we had really hit the goal trail before this lean spell was all the more difficult to understand. In fact, at times it could only be put down to cruel hard luck. Promotion, though, has two stages: one is going up; the other is staying up.

Best Season since 1963/64
This poor run of results could not have come at a worse time. Sup- porters will remember this season not for the tremendous run in the first part of the season but as just another seasons. Gone are the memories of success as things went wrong. This bad run detracts from the fact that this is City's best season since they won promotion.

Best Programme
Not only is this the best season. we have had on the Park itself. This is also the best programme we have ever had. Or at least that is the view of the Wirrall Programme Exchange who voted the City pro- gramme the best in the Fourth Division. Congratulations for this honour must be extended to editor John Hillier, and designer Paul Kennard. I wonder what improve- ments they have in mind for next season? May I close by thanking you all for your attendance here this season and wish you all a better 73/74 season. See you next season.

RICHARD KNIGHT

• You may have noted that Everton had no home game on Good Friday. This is the result of a long standing agreement. Everton many years ago drew up an agreement with the vicar of the church, which stands on a corner of their magnificent stadium, never to play at such time as they would interfere with his Good Friday services. They still honour the agreement. Many a promotion or relegation issue has been settled at Easter and it is certain-with Easter being so late this year-that the future of several clubs will be decided this week-end. It was at Easter 1949 that one of the most dramatic colapses of all time began. Southampton led the Second Division by six points- until that Easter slump. They lost 0-1 at Bury and were held to a goal- less draw at home to Grimsby on Easter Monday. And, as they slid, so Fulham and West Bromwich rose to take the top two places on the last day.