On Saturday, Wolves and Coventry City will be going head-to-head in an FA Cup quarter-final at Molineux with a place in the final four up for grabs.
The match will be Wolves’ first at this stage of the competition since 2019 when Nuno Espirito Santo’s men overcame the challenge of Manchester United at home to reach a semi-final at Wembley Stadium.
While for Coventry, they were last in the cup quarters back in 2009 when a Chris Coleman-led side fell to a 2-0 loss at home to Chelsea. However, the club did set a new attendance record at the Coventry Building Society Arena (then-Ricoh Arena) of 31,407.
But this is not the first time Wolves and Coventry have met in the historic cup competition, and it’s not the only time the teams have faced each other in the cup quarter-finals at Molineux, as Paul Bowen explores in Saturday’s FA Cup special matchday programme…
ROAD TO THE QUARTER-FINAL
Third round | 13th January 1973
Wolves 1-0 Manchester United
Leyton Orient 1-4 Coventry City
Fourth round | 3rd February 1973
Wolves 1-0 Bristol City
Coventry City 1-0 Grimsby Town
Fifth round | 24th February 1973
Wolves 1-0 Millwall
Coventry City 3-0 Hull City
THE QUARTER-FINAL
Wolves vs Coventry City | 17th March 1973
Football Association Challenge Cup, sixth round
Almost 51 years ago to the day, a packed Molineux of more than 50,000 supporters saw Wolves and Coventry City meet in the last eight of the FA Cup.
Wolves, managed by Bill McGarry with assistant Sammy Chung, were a fine, entertaining, and attacking side who had recently reached the semi-finals of the League Cup and were to finish fifth in Division One.
Coventry, under general manager Joe Mercer and assistant Gordon Milne, were also in decent form in the top-half of the top flight and so it was expected to be a very competitive and close encounter.
The run up to the game saw considerable interest in the all-Midlands affair. On the evening before the fixture, both managers appeared together on live television from Birmingham discussing the game in a congenial and conversational style. There was a lot of press focus and pressure on the players, but the Wolves team relaxed on the Wednesday with a round of golf at Cannock Chase.
There was drama during this pre-match practice when a ball from Wolves’ forward Steve Kindon hit Derek Dougan on the head who fell to the ground. Worrying scenes saw a stretcher appear, but a dazed Dougan recovered to start the game although kick-off was delayed by a few minutes.
CLASSIC MATCH REPORT
Wolves 2 (Richards 7, Hibbitt 49 PEN) Coventry City 0
Wolves made a great start scoring after only seven minutes. A long, lofted pass by winger Dave Wagstaffe was intercepted and headed back into the Wolves’ half by central defender Bobby Parker.
A powerful, return header from centre-back Frank Munro saw Coventry’s Roy Barry beaten in the air by Dougan whose flick-on found Wolves’ number nine John Richards. Outpacing Parker, he clinically shot past advancing keeper Bill Glazier to score his 24th goal of the season.
Shortly afterwards, Wolves’ midfielder Jim McCalliog went off injured to be replaced by substitute Kindon, but this did not affect Wolves’ dominance.
Dougan fired a dipping 25-yard volley over the bar and on 34 minutes his skilful, glancing header from a Kenny Hibbitt corner found the net but the goal was disallowed by referee John Homewood for a foul.
Coventry’s attacking threat was limited, but a dangerous Tommy Hutchison cross led to full-back Gerry Taylor clearing the ball over his own Wolves’ goal.
Half-time: Wolves 1 Coventry City 0
As the second half opened, Coventry must have hoped to be more forceful and to take the game to Wolves, but they quickly conceded a second four minutes after the interval.
Again, it was Dougan who did the damage with a header into the penalty area where Richards was pushed over by full-back Mick Coop and the referee pointed to the spot. Hibbitt gave Glazier no chance with a low, powerful shot to his right and Wolves went 2-0 up, dashing the hopes of the Sky Blues.
Coventry did respond when Mick McGuire drove dangerously over the Wolves’ bar, but full-back Derek Parkin also tested Coventry's keeper with a long shot. Close marking and strong tackling saw much of the second half played in central areas and Wolves’ full-back Bernard Shaw was a robust and effective number four deputising for injured midfielders Mike Bailey and Danny Hegan.
However hard Coventry tried their recent form eluded them. Forwards Colin Stein and Brian Alderson came up against an uncompromising Wolves’ defence which was well marshalled by the outstanding Munro and fellow centre-back John McAlle. Keeper Phil Parkes was not unduly troubled in the home goal.
Wolves nearly extended their lead when Dougan, showing his skill on the ground, shot inches past the Coventry right post, whilst Richards put the ball over the bar from close range.
Coventry had their best period in the latter stages when Barry went narrowly wide with a good header but Willie Carr, later a Molineux favourite, was their best player and hit a Wolves’ post with an excellent volley very close to full time, as Wolves held out to secure a semi-final spot.
Full-time: Wolves 2 Coventry City 0
Wolves: Parkes, Taylor, Parkin, Shaw, Munro, McAlle, McCalliog (Kindon), Hibbitt, Richards, Dougan, Wagstaffe.
Coventry: Glazier, Coop, Cattlin, Smith (McGuire), Barry, Parker, Mortimer, Alderson, Stein, Carr, Hutchison.
Attendance: 50,106
PROGRESSING IN THE CUP
Wolves booked their place in the final four, and a fixture away at formidable Leeds United in the semi-final, played at Manchester City’s Maine Road.
In what turned out to be a tense and close encounter, it was the Whites who went on to progress into the final, as Billy Bremner’s 68th minute goal proving to be the winner.
However, there was more cup drama involving the Old Gold, with Richards hitting a shot which agonisingly hit the post before heading away from goal.
Leeds were not able to lift the famous trophy themselves in 1973, as Wolves’ victors went on to be defeated by the same scoreline by Sunderland in the Wembley final.
Supporters can read more about the previous FA Cup quarter-final between Wolves and Coventry, including reaction from the players and a fans’ perspective of the clash, in Saturday’s FA Cup special matchday programme.
