Jon Blakely's Canadian Chronicles
Saturday 18 August, 2001
The opening days of old
"City's 4-0 win over Barnsley on the first day was enjoyable, certainly listening to BCB in my house in a Toronto suburb whilst enjoying breakfast (there's a 5 hour time lag here!!) was as enjoyable as that sort of thing could be, there is no substitute for actually being there!!
It makes me wonder if we can read anything into 'first day wins'. As a teenager I used to look for anything that meant a good season was ahead. I think it started the season we got promoted from the second division in 1985. City dispatched Cambridge United 2-0, at Valley Parade, goals by John Hawley and Peter Jackson meant the opening day was a good one, of course City went on to clinch the Championship and so a new superstition was created.
Now I just had to wait and see if the superstition included whether or not the fixture had to be at home or not for the season to be a success. Time would tell.
The next season, of course City were without a proper home, and Carlisle United away was the first fixture, a 2-1 win was secured with two goals from Bobby Campbell. Of course the then Trevor Cherry led City survived the Division quite comfortably playing all their games 'away' from home. ('Home' was Elland Road, Leeds Road and Odsal).
1986/87 season started off with a 'home' fixture and a 2-2 draw with Plymouth, Ian Ormondroyd scored one for City along with an own goal (This season all 'Home' games were at Odsal). A draw would add credence to my belief as the season nearly turned out to be a disaster, and City were doomed until Terry Dolan, who replaced the sacked Trevor Cherry mid way through, led City away from trouble with 10 games remaining, the form gained in these last few fixtures would carry on to the next season in outstanding fashion. The 86/87 season rounded out with a trip to West Brom where City had two sent off, but still managed to come back from 2-0 down to salvage a draw.
The next season was the 'nearly season' and 1987/88 brought a very assured home opening win, 2-0 over Swindon Town, McCall and Futcher notching markers. Lee Sinnott made his debut in this one and looked a bargain at the then club record 137,000.
So far it seems that a home win ensures a Championship or a near miss, whereas a home draw or away win spells mid table stuff (We shall see what happens if we ever lose!!)
Now the theory start to go downhill, much like City's fortune for the next 6 or 7 years. By this time I was in my twenties, and like I said this was a teenage thing!!
1989/90 saw City without McCall and Hendrie, and whilst they played out an opening day Everton 4, Newcastle 0 result, I sat on the terraces at Brighton basking in not only the sun but City's 3-1 win. Replacements Andy Thomas and Ian Banks got two great goals, and the City faithful might have blindly thought that post Stu and John may be ok. Of course this was the season where City thrashed Everton 3-1, and despite a rousing reception for our favourite son, we were still glad to see Stuart defeated! Spurs were beaten in the FACup aswell (both runs came to an end against teams we should have beaten easily, Bristol City and Hull City) and Terry Dolan was sent packing. City stayed up this season and I guess my theory about opening day wins hold up, this season we won away and mid-table was the best we could finish with.
So we enter the 'Ninetees' with another Manager having been sacked, Stuart McCall and John Hendrie gone, and the great Messiah, Trevor Cherry's former sidekick returns from Holiday in Swansea - Terry Yorath.
So the story will continue next week. What will Yorath bring? Apart from over paid ex Leeds players?