CITY 1 ENGLAND 2

Bill Taylor Memorial Match

9th February 1982

Attendance 11,106

Scorers
City Bond(50 pen)
England Barnes(35), Coppell(47)

Ref Neil Midgeley

City Corrigan, Ranson, McDonald, Cherry, Bond, Caton, Kinsey, Reeves, Francis, Hutchison, Power

England Shilton, Sansom, Martin, Foster, Anderson, Rix, Robson, Wilkins, Coppell, Brooking, Barnes

FROM THE PRESS BOX

PATRICK BARCLAY WRITING IN THE GUARDIAN 10TH FEBRUARY 1982
Alvin Martin’s hopes of establishing himself in the middle of England‘s defence in time for the World Cup received a painful setback when he was carried off with a broken collar bone during last night’s memorial match for Bill Taylor. the late England coach. at Maine
Road.
Martin is expected to be out of action for six weeks and his place against Northern Ireland at Wembley, the week after next. might now go to the Brighton defender Steve Foster, who played soundly against a lively Trevor Francis as Manchester City were beaten 2-1.
Indeed several members of this oddly-shaped England side did well in a match that was more competitive than might have been expected and gave good value to the 11,106 spectaors who raised more than £20,000 for Taylor’s dependants.
Peter Barnes, back on the ground where he made a reputaion as one of his country’s brightest wingers for many years, scored a marvelous goal from 25 yards during a first half in which he displayed a level of talent totally inappropriate to the Leeds United reserve team.
Ron Greenwood‘s selection of Barnes and Steve Coppell on the wings invoked recollections of the early, optimistic days of his tenure as England manager. although the side swiftly had to rearrange itself upon the realisation that injuries had deprived Greenwood of central strikers.
With Brooklng and Coppell pressed into unfamiliar service through the middle, improvisatlon was the order of the night, and Coppell’s useful contribution was rewarded with a well taken goal early in the second half. the culmination of one of those determined bursts down the right flank by Viv Anderson that were such an enjoyable feature of Nottingham Forest’s rise during the 70s. .
Greenwood‘s deployment of Wilkins as libero was lnteresting, Don Revie once used him in a similar role when the football league played a jubilee match in Glasgow, and although the idea will clearly require further testing it was noticeable that the fullbacks had plenty of oppnrtunily to move forward from a sound defensive base.
Paul Futcher. the former City defender now at Oldham, replaced Martin alongside Foster. He conceded a penalty with a trip on Hutchison. enabling Bond to pull back a goal for City.