CITY 0 SOUTHAMPTON 0
League Division 2
May 18th, 1966
attendance 34,653
Ref G McCabe
City Dowd, Kennedy, Horne, Pardoe, Heslop, Oakes, Summerbee, Bell, Young, Crossan, Connor – used sub Doyle
Southampton Forsyth, Webb, Hollywood, White, Knapp, Walker; Paine, Chivers, Dean, Melia, Sydenham – sub Williams
As a general rule, there is not a lot to be said about a goalless game. It smacks of exaggerated concentration on defence, wayward finishing by the forwards, and leaves many of the paying customers with a feeling that they have not had their moneysworth. But there were very few who complained about the result of this particular match. City already had won the championship, and Southampton’s point sufficed to send them into the First Division for the first time in their history. So everyone was happy.
Mind you, City and Southampton had been anything but happy during the previous few days. For a variety of reasons, this match, arranged originally for March 26, had been postponed and the clubs agreed on May 18 for the new date, and the Football League were advised accordingly.
It was then decided that in the event of a replay being necessary in the FA Challenge Cup final between Everton and Sheffield Wednesday, it would be at Maine Road on May 18. City agreed-provided their League game with Southampton be postponed until May 23, a very reasonable request. But the League insisted that the game be played on May 16 and so did Southampton because Paine was required by the England squad, and although Paine was granted an extension of 48 hours, the danger remained that this League game would have to be played two days before the replayed final. If there were one.
Fortunately for Walter Griffiths and his office staff, they were spared the formidable task of preparing for an important League game and a replayed Cup final inside three days. Everton,
thoughtfully, beat Wednesday-but it was a near thing, 3-2, and City met Southampton as arranged.
It was not an inspiring end to the Maine Road season, but I suppose that was inevitable. There was some splendid goalkeeping on both sides, and Melia harassed City from start to finish without getting the reward he deserved. The departure of Connor with an ankle injury caused City to proceed with even greater caution, and Southampton had more of the play in the second half during which a superb save by Dowd from a header by Chivers denied the visitors victory.
Still, only an overwhelming defeat would have kept Southampton in the Second Division and sent Coventry City out of it. As it was, they ascended with City who received the championship cup and medals before they went home that day. So who cared about a goalless match
It is interesting to recall that Coventry won the championship of the Second Division the following season while Southampton were pressed hard to avoid being relegated.
By Eric Todd of The Guardian writing in the City programme 16th December 1972