What’s their beef with jimmy hill?
Why do Sunderland and Coventry have a rivalry and is it still a thing?
There is some seriously bitter history between Sunderland and Coventry. Why is that, though, and has it survived into the modern era?
BY MICHAEL GRAHAM
For Sunderland fans of a certain age, Coventry will always be a club that provokes a lot of anger. In fact, it’s something that was passed down to the next generation too.
I am in my early 40s, and when I was falling in love with Sunderland in the early and late 1980s, I had the usual guidance and education from my parents.
Whilst I can’t speak for all fans brought up in my era, the message I received was clear. The main rivals were Newcastle, but Sunderland hate Coventry too. No other clubs were ever mentioned to me.
I can’t say I have ever hated Coventry, though. Disliked them, admittedly, even though it was only because I had been told it is what I was supposed to do, but never hated.
So, why was there ever a rivalry between Sunderland and Coventry and does it still exist today?
How did the rivalry begin?
Football rivalries are funny things. Generally speaking there are only three ways they can begin: Geography, battling for trophies, or controversy.
With 200 miles between Sunderland and Coventry, obviously geography plans no part whatsoever in the rivalry. Neither club are prolific trophy hunters – to say the least – so the second one is out too. That leaves controversy, and there was once a lot of that.
It came at the end of the 1976/77 season and came down to what Sky Sports would now sensationalise as ‘Survival Sunday’ or something. Whatever it was called back then, it was the last game of the season, and both teams were attempting to avoid relegation from the top flight.
As everyone knows, such occasions demands that all games start at the same time as it is vital for sporting integrity. Well, everyone except Coventry, of course.
Sunderland went into the day with the advantage. They faced Everton at Goodison and knew a draw would be enough to keep them up. Coventry, meanwhile, needed a win at home to Bristol City to be sure, but they had to better Sunderland’s result. Just to add to the drama, Bristol City also needed a point to stay up. Only one of the three could get relegated.
Coventry gave themselves an enormous advantage, though. Managing director Jimmy Hill delayed kick-off at Highfield Road by 15 minutes using crowd congestion as an excuse.
Sunderland lost at Everton 2-0, but they were still in a good position to stay up. The only result that could then send Sunderland down would be a draw between Coventry and Bristol City, and surely neither could risk playing for that?
Of course, due to Hill’s subterfuge, they didn’t have to. Jimmy Hill made sure of it by putting the Sunderland result on the scoreboard for everyone, including the players, to see.
The game was poised at 2-2 when the Sunderland game finished, and both Coventry and Bristol City could stroll around without even trying to score, knowing they were both safe.
Sunderland were relegated, but if either side had won at Highfield Road, which could easily have happened if the games finished at the same time, they wouldn’t have been.
As far as Sunderland, and Sunderland fans, were concerned, Coventry had outright cheated. An inquiry cleared Jimmy Hill and Coventry of all wrongdoing, but they were reprimanded by the Football League.
Remarkably, Coventry pulled the same trick in 1996/97 with Sunderland again relegated, although it was not as dramatic.
Does the Sunderland and Coventry rivalry still exist?
It does, certainly among fans who were Sunderland supporters in 1976/77. The anger has remained and probably always will.
There is no real question that the rivalry is gradually being lost to the midst of time, though.
As mentioned, supporters from my generation carried it on because we felt we should, but it was never fuelled by first-hand emotion.
Whether or not, then, that the rivalry is still embraced by younger fans is something only they can answer, but the rivalry still appears to be holding firm at least partially for now.
www.readytogo.net
