Karl Whitehouse takes a look back through the history books to share all the classic FA Cup encounters and history of Wolves v Coventry.
This will be the 66th time Wolves and Coventry City meet in all competitions. Their first encounter was on 7th February 1920, where Coventry City won 1-0 in Division 2. The most recent league game between the two teams took place on 26th April 2014 in League One, ending in a 1-1 draw at Sixfields Northampton.
In the FA Cup, Wolves have faced Coventry City twice.
FA Cup Matches:
- 17th March 1973 Quarter Final: Wolves 2 Coventry City 0
- 7th January 1984 Third Round: Coventry City 1 (Withey) Wolves 1 (Clarke)
Wolves 2 Coventry City 0 17th March 1973 at Molineux in FA Cup Quarter Final
Attendance 50,106
In a memorable FA Cup quarter-final clash on 17th March 1973 at Molineux, Wolverhampton Wanderers faced off against Coventry City in a thrilling encounter that would go down in football history.
The match saw Wolves emerge victorious with a 2-0 win over Coventry City, showcasing their dominance and skill on the field. Goals from Kenny Hibbitt via a penalty and John Richards sealed the victory for Wolves in front of a roaring crowd of 50,106 passionate fans.
This historic match not only highlighted Wolves’ prowess in the FA Cup but also solidified their position as a formidable force in English football during that era, leaving a lasting legacy for fans and enthusiasts alike to remember and celebrate.
Here’s our classic match report…
Coventry kicked off the game attacking the North Bank in the first half. In the early stages of the game, both sides had good touches of the ball with it going to the goalkeeper’s hands.
Then Munro’s headed clearance went to Dougan who flicked on to Richards who went on a run towards the Coventry City goal, he got past Parker and scored past Glazier for his 24th goal of the season to give Wolves the lead 1-0 in the 6th Minute. What a great start for the home team.
Then an injury for the home team. In the 12th Minute, Hibbitt passed the ball to McCalliog but he pulled up holding the back of his leg and Wolves were forced into an early change in the game with Kindon coming on in place of McCalliog.
Wolves started another move in the game when Hibbitt hit a shot towards goal only for the goalie to fumble it and the Coventry defender cleared the ball for a corner before Richards came in to shoot the rebound but the resulting corner came to nothing.
Dougan had a shot on goal but just went narrowly over the bar with Wolves still pressing for another goal.
A Wolves corner in the 33rd Minute taken by Hibbitt went towards Dougan who flicked the ball into the net but was ruled out by the referee who says there was a foul on the Coventry player Homewood. Who needs VAR to cause controversy in the game?!
The half-time whistle comes, and it is Wolves leading 1-0 at the break.
Wolves kick off the second half of the game. After a header by Dougan towards Richards in the Coventry area Coop collides with Richards only for the referee to point to the penalty spot with Richards lying on the ground, Up steps Hibbitt to take the penalty for Wolves, he scored past Glazier in the to make it 2-0 to Wolves 49 minutes played.
Coventry has it all to do now to try and get back into the game. Wolves created another chance in the game when Dougan went on the run towards the goal only for his shot just go narrowly wide of the open goal.
A throw-in by Hibbitt caused problems with the bounce going towards Richards only for him to fire it over the bar from 6 yards out another good chance for the home side.
After a handball by Hibbitt Coventry had a free kick in a good position which Coop took toward Barry only for his shot at goal just go narrowly wide of the Wolves’ goal.
Time is running out for Coventry not many chances have been created with the Wolves’ defence holding firm. Carr has a free kick near the Wolves but it was Barry with an overhead kick straight at Parkes in the Wolves goal.
With a matter of minutes remaining in the game Carr started the move with Stein then to Alderson who then passed it to Carr with a first-time volley shot hit the inside of the post with Parkes scrambling to get towards the ball.
Parkin conceded a foul which led to a freekick for Coventry with Coop to take it when he took the freekick it found Carr offside in the box and Parkes took the freekick once that was taken the referee blew the final whistle and sent Wolves into the Semi Final of the FA Cup the game finished 2-0 to Wolves.
Wolves Team: Parkes, Taylor, Parkin, Shaw, Munro, McAlle, McCalliog (Kindon 12), Hibbitt, Richards, Dougan, Wagstaffe.
Goal Scorers: Richards, Hibbitt
Manager: Bill McGarry
Coventry City Team: Glazier, Coop, Catlin, Smith (McGuire HT), Barry, Parker, Mortimer, Alderson, Stein, Carr, Hutchinson.
Manager: Joe Mercer
WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS ...
WOLVES 1973 FA CUP JOUNEY
- 13th January 1973, Third Round: Wolves 1 Manchester United 0 Scorer Bailey
- 3rd February 1973, Fourth Round: Wolves 1 Bristol City 0 Scorer Richards
- 24th February 1973 , Fifth Round: Wolves 1 Millwall 0 Scorer Richards
- 17th March 1973, Quarterfinal Wolves 2 Coventry 0, Scorer Richards & Hibbitt
- Wolves lost in the semifinal 1-0 to Leeds United.
WOLVES MEET COVENTRY 3 TIMES IN THE 1984 FA CUP
7th January 1984 Third Round Coventry City 1 (Withey) Wolves 1 (Clarke)
Coventry City Team: Avramovic, Roberts (Gynn 67), Adams, Daly, Peake, Allardyce, Bennett, Hunt, Withey, Gibson, Platnauer.
Wolves Team: Bradshaw, Humphrey, Palmer, Daniel, Pender, Dodd, Towner, Clarke, Troughton, Eves, Crainie; Sub Cartwright.
10th January 1984 Third Round (Replay) Wolves 1 (Eves) Coventry City 1 (Peake)
Wolves Team: Bradshaw, Humphrey, Palmer, Daniel, Pender, Dodd, Towner, Clarke, Troughton, Eves, Crainie; Sub Cartwright.
Coventry City Team: Avramovic, Roberts, Adams, Gynn, Butterworth, Peake, Bennett, Hunt, Withey (Daly 66), Platnauer.
16th January 1984 Third Round (2nd Replay) Coventry City 3 (Withey 2 Goals, Hunt) Wolves 0
Coventry City Team: Avramovic, Roberts, Adams, Gynn, Peake, Butterworth, Daly, Hunt, Withey, Thompson, Platnauer; Sub Gibson.
Wolves Team: Burridge, Humphrey, Palmer, Daniel, Pender, Dodd, Towner, Clarke (Mardenborough 72), Troughton, Eves, Crainie.
THE MOST RECENT MEETING - Coventry City 1 Wolves 1 26th April 2014 at Sixfields Stadium in League One.
There weren’t many opportunities for both sides in the game to get the opening goal of the game, closest to the opener was Michael Jacobs who hit a shot from 25 yards out which was saved by Coventry City goalkeeper Joe Murphy.
Wolves brought on Bakary Sako & Nouha Dicko just before the hour mark to try and change the game’s outcome.
The substitution almost worked straight away when a corner taken by Sako was going towards Batth only for his header to go straight into Murphy’s arms.
But Wolves did manage to take the lead late into the game when Sako did a cross from the left-hand side towards Edwards who hit his shot into the back of the net from 6 yards after 84 minutes to make it Wolves 1-0.
The lead didn’t last long Coventry City got back into the game when Marshall’s ball was whipped into the box only for Batth to head past his goalkeeper to make it 1-1.
The final whistle went, and it means Coventry City are safe from relegation and Wolves have a chance of making history in League One by getting the most points with a victory for their final game of the season.
Coventry City Team: Murphy, Willis, Christie, Thomas, Webster, Prutton, Fleck, Marshall, Clarke, Delfouneso (Seaborne 89), Wilson.
Subs Finch, Burge, Baker, Eccleston, Adams, Thomas.
Manager: Steven Pressley
Wolves Team: Ikeme, Stearman, Golbourne (Ricketts 84), Batth, Doherty, Evans, Edwards, Henry, McDonald, Jacobs (Sako 60), McAlinden (Dicko 59).
Subs Price, Davis, McCarey, Ebanks-Landell.
Manager: Kenny Jackett
Other Meetings (Pre-Season Friendly)
1st August 2021 Coventry 1 (Waghorn) Wolves 2 (Silva, Neves)
Coventry City Team: Moore (Wilson 88), McFadzean (Reid 88), Waghorn (Howley 77), O’Hare (Shipley 73), Trialist A (Rose 46), Sheaf (Allen 73), Hyam (Drysdale 61), Gyokeres (Walker 61), Maatsen (Trialist B 46), Dabo (Dacosta 61), Hamer (Jones 73).
Unused sub: Enobakhare.
Manager: Mark Robins
Wolves Team: Ruddy, Hoever, Mosquera (Bueno 33) (Campbell 45), Kilman (Coady 78), Ait-Nouri, Neves (Estrada 90), Marques, Dendoncker (Moutinho 88), Gibbs-White (Cundle 78), Traore (Cutrone 61), Silva (Semedo 88).
Unused subs: Sa, Marcal, Saiss, Trincao, Jimenez.
Manager: Bruno Lage
HEAD TO HEAD STATISTICS
HOW WOLVES HAVE FARED IN THEIR PREVIOUS QUARTER-FINAL FA CUP GAMES
26th February 1949 Wolves 1 West Brom 0
24th February 1951 Sunderland 1 Wolves 1
28th February 1951 (Replay) Wolves 3 Sunderland 1
12th March 1955 Sunderland 2 Wolves 0
1st March 1958 Bolton 2 Wolves 1
12th March 1960 Leicester 1 Wolves 2
9th March 1965 Wolves 3 Manchester United 5
17th March 1973 Wolves 2 Coventry 0
6th March 1976 Manchester United 1 Wolves 1
9th March 1976 (Replay) Wolves 2 Manchester United 3 (After Extra Time)
19th March 1977 Wolves 0 Leeds United 1
9th March 1979 Wolves 1 Shrewsbury 1
12th March 1979 (Replay) Shrewsbury 1 Wolves 3
7th March 1981 Middlesbrough 1 Wolves 1
10th March 1981 Wolves 3 Middlesbrough 1 (After Extra Time)
13th March 1994 Chelsea 1 Wolves 0
11th March 1995 Crystal Palace 1 Wolves 1
22nd March 1995 (Replay) Wolves 1 Crystal Palace 4
7th March 1998 Leeds 0 Wolves 1
9th March 2003 Southampton 2 Wolves 0
16th March 2019 Wolves 2 Manchester United 1
Playing for both teams
David Barnes
Played for Coventry City 1979-1982 made 9 appearances and played for Wolves 1984-1987 made 88 appearances scored 4 goals.
Andy Blair
Played for Coventry City made 93 appearances scored 6 goals and played for Wolves in a loan spell from Aston Villa in 1983 made 10 appearances.
Jay Bothroyd
Played for Coventry City 2000-2003 made 72 appearances scored 14 goals and played for Wolves 2006-2008 made 55 appearances and scored 12 goals.
Gary Breen
Played for Coventry City 1997-2002 made 146 appearances scored 2 goals and played for Wolves 2006-2008 made 59 appearances and scored 1 goal.
Colin Cameron
Played for Wolves 2001-2006 made 168 appearances scored 23 goals and played for Coventry City 2006-2007 made 24 appearances and scored 2 goals.
Willie Carr
Played for Coventry City from 1967-1975 made 252 appearances scored 33 goals and played for Wolves from 1975-1982 made 237 appearances and scored 21 goals.
Leon Clarke
Played for Wolves from 2003-2007 & 2014-2015 made 103 appearances and scored 16 goals and played for Coventry City in 2013 in a loan spell & In 2013-2014 made 35 appearances and scored 23 goals.
Paul Cook
Played for Wolves 1989-1994 made 193 appearances scored 19 goals and played for Coventry City 1994-1996 made 37 appearances and scored 3 goals.
Freddy Eastwood
Played for Wolves 2007-2008 made 31 appearances scored 3 goals and played for Coventry City 2008-2012 made 113 appearances and scored 17 goals.
Paul Edwards
Played for Coventry City 1990-1992 made 36 appearances and played for Wolves 1992-1994 made 46 appearances.
Marc Edworthy
They played for Coventry City 1998-2002 made 76 appearances scored 1 goal and played for Wolves 2002-2003 made 22 appearances.
Stephen Elliott
Played for Wolves 2007-2008 made 29 appearances scored 4 goals and played for Coventry City 2012-2013 made 18 appearances and scored 5 goals.
Tim Flowers
Played for Wolves 1984-1986 made 63 appearances and played for Coventry City in a loan spell in 2002 made 5 appearances.
Kevin Foley
Played for Wolves 2007-2015 made 194 appearances scored 5 goals and played for Coventry City 2017 made 12 appearances.
Steve Froggatt
Played for Wolves 1994-1998 made 106 appearances scored 7 goals and played for Coventry City 1998-2001 made 49 appearances and scored 2 goals.
Bobby Gould
Played for Coventry City 1963-1968 made 82 appearances scored 40 goals and played for Wolves 1970-1971 & 1975-1977 made 74 appearances and scored 31 goals.
Kenny Hibbitt
Played for Wolves 1968-1984 made 466 appearances scored 89 goals and played for Coventry City 1984-1986 made 47 appearances and scored 4 goals.
Stephen Hunt
Played for Wolves 2010-2013 made 56 appearances scored 7 goals and played for Coventry City 2016 made 5 appearances.
Robbie Keane
Played for Wolves 1997-1999 made 73 appearances scored 24 goals and played for Coventry City 1999-2000 made 31 appearances and scored 12 goals.
Kevin Kyle
Played for Coventry City 2006-2009 made 44 appearances scored 5 goals and played for Wolves in a loan spell 2008 made 12 appearances scored 1 goal.
Tommy Langley
Played for Coventry City 1984 made 2 appearances and played for Wolves 1984-1985 made 23 appearances scored 4 goals.
Chris Marsden
Played for Coventry City 1993 in a loan spell made 7 appearances and played for Wolves 1994 made 8 appearances.
Michael McIndoe
Played for Wolves 2006 in a loan spell and permanent spell 2006-2007 made 27 appearances scored 3 goals and played for Coventry City 2009-2011 made 46 appearances scored 1 goal.
Lee Mills
Played for Wolves 1992-1995 made 33 appearances scored 6 goals and played for Coventry City in a loan spell 2001 and permanent spell 2001-2003 made 42 appearances scored 11 goals.
Barry Powell
Played for Wolves 1972-1975 & 1986-1988 made 78 appearances scored 7 goals and played for Coventry City 1975-1979 made 164 appearances scored 27 goals.
Billy Rafferty
Played for Coventry City 1968-1972 made 27 appearances scored 3 goals and played for Wolves 1978-1979 made 44 appearances scored 6 goals.
Cyrille Regis
Played for Coventry City 1984-1991 made 238 appearances scored 46 goals and played for Wolves 1993-1994 made 23 appearances scored 2 goals.
Kyel Reid
Played for Wolves 2009 in a loan spell made 8 appearances scored 1 goal and played for Coventry City 2016-2018 made 50 appearances scored 2 goals.
Rohan Ricketts
Played for Coventry City 2004-2005 in a loan spell made 6 appearances and played for Wolves 2005 in a loan spell and permanent spell 2005-2007 made 63 appearances scored 1 goal.
Sam Ricketts
Played for Wolves 2013-2015 made 51 appearances scored 2 goals and played for Coventry City 2015-2016 made 50 appearances scored 1 goal.
Brian Roberts
Played for Coventry City 1974-1984 made 215 appearances 1 goal and played for Wolves 1990-1992 made 21 appearances.
Cedric Roussel
Played for Coventry City 1999-2000 in a loan spell and permanent spell 2000-2001 made 38 appearances scored 8 goals and played for Wolves 2001-2003 made 25 appearances scored 2 goals.
Steve Sedgley
Played for Coventry City 1986-1989 made 84 appearances scored 3 goals and played for Wolves 1997-2000 made 106 appearances scored 9 goals.
Ady Williams
Played for Wolves 1996-2000 made 36 appearances and played for Coventry City 2004-2006 made 35 appearances scored 2 goals.
Others Who Played for Both Clubs
Emilio Aldecoa, Jim Alderton, Tommy Allen, Arthur Arrowsmith, George Ashall, Jimmy Baker, Martin Bayly, Mikkel Bischoff, Tommy Bowen, William Brown, Jackie Brown, Stephen Bywater, Howard Clark, David Clements, Sammy Clingan, Mike Cook, Charles Cross, Chris Dangerfield, Bright Enobakhare, Ryan Giles, Ernest Hackett, Ron Hewitt, Frank Higham, Ted Juggins, Billy Layton, Andy Marshall, Bobby McDonald, Alex McIntosh, Duckens Nazon, Frank Nouble, Jamie Reckord, Billy Richards, Graham Rodger, Jimmy Rogers, Robert Rosario, Ken Rowley, John Smith, Terry Springthorpe, Ben Stevenson, Ted Watson,
Played, Coached, Managed Both Teams
Neil Cutler
Played for Coventry City 1995-1996 in a loan spell but didn’t make a single appearance and is currently at Wolves as a goalkeeping coach from August 2023.
Dave Jones
Played for Coventry City 1979-1981 made 11 appearances and managed Wolves 2001-2004 where he did 187 games in charge of the game.