Number 1- Ivor’s the Guy to sting Hornets.
Today, I’ll take you back to November 13th 1954 and a superb promotion season. The previous Saturday the City had suffered a rare defeat, 2-0 at Northampton,and it was important to get back on the winning track, particularly as the visitors, Watford, were one of the sides fancied to challenge City for the promotion spot.
( Only the Champions were promoted in those days.)
It seemed that fate was against us when in only the 4th. minute, and many years before substitutes were introduced, goalkeeper Tony Cook was injured
and carried from the pitch on a stretcher. Right back Ivor Guy donned the keeper’s sweater but, worse was to follow, as Ivor in making a somewhat ungainly
save, collided with the goalpost and received a terrible gash on the head.
Ivor needed lengthy treatment as blood seeped through every bandage that was applied to the wound, but refused to leave the field. Trainer Wilf Copping
stood behind the goal, wiping away Ivor’s blood as the courageous stand in rebuffed all Watford’s efforts to make their numerical advantage pay. At
half time, it was still 0-0, and Ivor was able to receive better treatment,stitches and a huge bandage which he sported for the second half. Watford
were still dangerous but City came back into the match a little, and we began to believe that our ten men would hang on for a precious point.
With two minutes to go, a Watford corner was pouched by the now confident Guy who released the ball to Jack Boxley on the left wing.Jack beat his man and progressed well into the Watford half before cutting inside and unleashing an unstoppable shot into the Watford
net. The crowd of 21,690 raised the roof as City were back on the promotion trail, eventually winning the Third Division South title with a record 70 points, scoring over 100 goals in league matches alone.
I often pass the little shop on Lodge Causeway, Fishponds which Ivor kept after his retirement and always recall the bravery of Ivor ‘The’ Guy.<
