History Repeating?

As the Tevez saga trundles on, with Sheffield United threatening to declare UDI for South Yorkshire if West Ham don't get relegated, that sad footballing anorak that inhabits part of my brain remembered a time thirty years ago when two teams in the top flight of English football conspired to send another down.

Thursday 19 May 1977 is one of those days that Sunderland fans of a certain age almost certainly remember. I didn't remember the exact date, I had to look that up! As the matches kicked off on that evening Stoke City and Spuds were already relegated and they would be joined by one from three: Sunderland, Bristol City and Coventry City. All three teams had 34 points from 41 games, the goal difference for the teams was -6, -10 and -11 respectively. On that last day of the season Sunderland were away to Everton and Coventry City were at home to....Bristol City.

The scenario was this: Sunderland win or draw and they are safe, Bristol City win or draw and they were safe but Coventry had to win unless Sunderland lost in which case a draw would keep them and the Robins up but send Sunderland down.

The match at Goodison Park kicked off on time but the game at Highfield Road was delayed by crowd congestion, yes I know it's hard to believe that the words Coventry City and crowd congestion were ever seen together in the same sentence. Anyway the FA had insisted that due to the possibility of match fixing the two second half's must also kick off at the same time.

Coventry City's legendary winger Tommy Hutchinson scored twice and then Bristol City scored twice, and the second half kicked off late. Five minutes before the end a tannoy announcement at Coventry revealed that Sunderland had lost, both teams stopped playing, in the style of Austria and Germany in Spain 1982, and passed the ball aimlessly round the centre circle until the final whistle.

Now I'm not saying that will happen on Sunday but can you imagine the situation if the scores are level at Bramall Lane and the crowd find out that West Ham are losing. Wigan only need to win by one to send us down and keep themselves and the Blades up, anymore than one goal and there's a chance that Sheffield United could find themselves relegated if West Ham were to score a late equaliser. Anyone like to speculate how many minutes of added time there will be at Sheffield?