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When City beat Chelsea: 5-1 in 1978

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Coventry City start Saturday’s FA Cup tie against Chelsea as massive underdogs, with the status of the two clubs on the national stage having taken two, completely different paths over the past decade.

It wasn’t always that way however, and to give Sky Blues fans hope of an upset this weekend, Vital Coventry is looking back at some notable wins over the West Londoners.

The 1977/78 season was one of the most exciting of City’s long stay in the top-flight.

Gordon Milne’s side finished 7th in the league on the back of some cracking home form and the goals of deadly duo Ian Wallace and Mick Ferguson.

Chelsea arived at Highfield Road in January on the back of an impressive 4-2 win against Liverpool, but they were sent packing by a Sky Blues side, who made it 13 goals in 3 home games after victories over Norwich (5-4) and Manchester United (3-0).

Wallace, Bobby McDonald, Mick Coop and two goals from Ray Graydon did the damage, Ray Wilkins, who will be at the Ricoh Arena on Saturday as part of the Chelsea backroom team, netting the visitor’s consolation.

(Thanks to Jim Brown’s Coventry City – The Elite Era for help with this article)

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