Matchday Memories: On this day in 1947 in London, the Hammers lose to Bayliss’ Bantams (Ta Bett & Lowrie). Wonderful pictures

On this day over seventy five years ago Dick took the Bantams (as they were then nicknamed) to the Boleyn Ground, Upton Park for what was anticipated to be a tough test against West Ham United even though we had already beaten them by the odd goal in three at Highfield Road the previous November. On that occasion City’s scorers had been Frank Snape and Harry Barratt.

In the event today CCFC came away with a repeat score, a 2-1 win, watched by 32,000 fans which left them in fourteenth position in the league.

The City’s scoring pair were different this time. Fred Bett and their reliable Welsh international striker George Lowrie did the honours! George gave the Bantams a 1-0 half-time lead after half an hour and Fred got City’s second in the 65th minute. West Ham‘s consolation came in the form of a penalty converted two minutes from the final whistle by Frank Neary.

Coventry City lined up as follows:-

Alf Wood; Billy Frith (c) & Charlie Elliott; Jack Snape, Ron Cox & Dick Mason; Norman Smith, Harry Barratt, George Lowrie, Peter Murphy & George Ashall

Billy would later go on to manage CCFC the following season (and also again from 1957-61).

The Hammers, managed by Charlie Paynter, put out the following side:-

George Taylor; Norman Corbett & Steve Forde; Ron Cater, Arthur Banner & Sam Small; Terry Woodgate, Almer Hall, Frank Neary, Jackie Wood & Ken Bainbridge    Referee:- W.T.Strainge (Bristol)

The home team’s Sam Small had been a wartime guest player for CCFC whilst with the Hammers in 1945. His son was later a Sky Blue junior and reserve in the 1960s!

This win kicked off a run of four straight victories and eight wins out of the last twelve games. Accordingly, this season the club finished in a respectable eighth place in Division Two. West Ham United finished twelfth, five points behind us.

Manchester City took the title by five points from Burnley whilst the Welsh pair of Swansea Town and Newport County went down.