Former Coventry City manager Gordon Milne has reflected on the club's golden top flight era under Jimmy Hill and his near appointment at Liverpool. Milne, who is 89 years old, managed Coventry for nine years from 1972 and expressed delight at seeing the club return to the Premier League after 25 years of exile under manager Frank Lampard.
Coventry were last promoted to the top flight in 1967, embarking on a 34-year stay in the division. The club epitomised fresh thinking, launching sky blue trains and buses for supporters while players drove pristine sky blue Rover cars on summer European tours to connect the city's industrial heritage with the team. Coventry were also at the vanguard of shirt sponsorship, creative kit designs, all-seater stadiums, and electric scoreboards, prompting jokes that if the Titanic had been painted sky blue it would never have sunk.
Milne traced the club's culture back to former manager, managing director, and chairman Jimmy Hill. "There was a culture there and it was created by Jimmy," Milne said. "He was a clever guy, intelligent enough to see where football was going. A humble guy, which surprises some people. A lot of people didn't like Jimmy. He'd tell me when he was on Match of the Day how he received thousands of letters telling him to eff off. He used to say his unpopularity kept him in the job."
"At Coventry, he put himself about, went into the factories and connected with people," Milne added. "He loved Coventry and he loved football."
Jimmy Hill and Working Breakfast
Hill had originally managed Coventry for six years starting in 1961 when the club was in the third tier. He guided them to two promotions before making a shock announcement on the eve of their debut season in the old Division One that he was leaving to become head of sport at London Weekend Television. Hill returned to Coventry in 1975 as managing director and later chairman while Milne was manager and Ron Wylie was assistant manager.
Milne recalled how critics doubted the management team would survive Hill's return while the club struggled near the bottom of the table. "People thought we wouldn't last five minutes once Jimmy was back," Milne said. "We were scratching about near the wrong end of the table with all the journalists writing us off for relegation. Then Jimmy says he wants to meet for a working breakfast. We'd never heard of a working breakfast. Ron, a Glaswegian, says, 'Well, that's it, we're on our way'."
During the meeting, Hill revealed he had investments in developing football in Saudi Arabia and asked for help finding a coach. The offered salary was over £100,000 a year, which was three or four times Milne's earnings. Wylie exclaimed "How much!" before adding "We'll do it," prompting Hill to laugh and respond: "Oh no, no, no… you two are going nowhere." Former Ipswich Town and Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Bill McGarry ultimately secured the Saudi Arabia coaching role.
Admiral Brown Kit and Transfer Bids
Milne thrived alongside Hill's energy and ambition by finding transfer targets and introducing young players alongside experienced veterans. Coventry finished seventh in the 1977-78 season wearing a distinctive Admiral kit, though their cult classic brown away kit was rarely used on the pitch. "We hardly won in it," Milne said. "The fans were saying it was jinxed but again Admiral came on the scene and wanted to do something different and we were up for it. I only wish I'd kept some of those shirts."
Coventry built a free-scoring side featuring players such as winger Tommy Hutchison, who had previously played with Milne at Blackpool, and forward partners Mick Ferguson and Ian Wallace. Milne believed scoring 60 goals a season guaranteed survival against relegation. In 1979, Coventry made a serious attempt to beat Nottingham Forest to sign Trevor Francis from Birmingham City in what would have been Britain's first £1 million transfer.
Milne explained that he knew Francis from working with England Under 18s and was close friends with Birmingham manager Jim Smith. "We were very close to signing Trevor," Milne said. "I knew him from the days working with England Under 18s and one of my best pals was Jim Smith, who was manager at Birmingham and absolutely loved Jimmy Hill, so we were in and ready to pay a million for him. It didn't quite work out and going to Forest was the right decision for Trevor, but Jimmy's thinking was, 'I'll get Trevor'."
Tom Finney and Early Playing Days
Reflecting on his career from his study filled with desk drawers of memorabilia, photos, and books, Milne recalled starting his playing days at Preston North End alongside Tom Finney. Milne described Finney as the best player he had ever seen, capable of playing at outside right, outside left, or centre forward with two great feet. Finney possessed the ability to move and shield the ball in a flash before defenders realized what had happened.
Milne remembered Finney's physical strength, aerial ability, and determination to play through injury. "I always picture him on the old treatment room with its immaculate wooden floors, and he'd be on the table, legs black and blue, bruises everywhere and the gaffer would say, 'What about tomorrow Tom?' and he'd say, 'I'll be OK'. Top guy," Milne said.
Bill Shankly and Liverpool Career
Milne's connection to Bill Shankly dated back to his childhood, as his father Jimmy Milne had played for Preston alongside Shankly before World War II. Both Scottish families lived on the same street, and Shankly would join young Milne whenever he kicked a ball against a wall outside. Shankly signed Milne for Liverpool in 1960 as one of his first major signings.
In 1962, Liverpool were drawn against Preston, then managed by Milne's father, in the FA Cup fifth round. Following two goalless draws, Peter Thompson scored the winner for Preston in a second replay, leading Shankly to sign Thompson a year later. Liverpool went on to win the league title in 1964, the FA Cup in 1965, and another league title in 1966.
Milne noted similarities between Shankly and Hill, stating that both leaders were genuine figures who connected deeply with supporters. Shankly would open the dressing room door before matches and tell players that thousands of fans could not be let down. Shankly also built on the Liverpool culture during the rise of music acts such as The Beatles and Gerry and the Pacemakers.
Potential Liverpool Manager Role
Milne was considered as a candidate to replace Shankly when the Liverpool manager resigned in 1974. During Milne's second season at Coventry, prior to a match at Highfield Road, Shankly's assistant Bob Paisley told Milne that the manager's role at Liverpool was a job for him. Following Shankly's resignation at the end of that season, Milne was invited to meet Liverpool chairman John Smith and secretary Peter Robinson at a hotel in Manchester.
"What I should've said, that I never said, was that I'd love the job and would've walked up the M6 for it, and that if I got it, I'd want Bob as my right-hand man," Milne said. "Bob could read a game. He was brilliant. Perfect for Shanks. They were the perfect combination and Shanks listened to him. He'd pretend he didn't, but he did." Milne added that Paisley was concerned about becoming the main manager because he did not want the publicity.
Coventry Appointment and Shankly Advice
In his 2023 book Shankly, My Dad and Me, published by Pitch, Milne detailed how he originally took the Coventry manager job while managing non-League Wigan. Coventry chairman Derrick Robbins interviewed Milne on the back seat of his Rolls-Royce, proposing a structure with Joe Mercer as general manager and Milne as manager. Milne sought advice from Shankly, who summoned him to a hotel in Blackpool during a summer holiday.
Shankly answered his hotel door wearing pyjamas with his face covered in Vaseline and asked whether Coventry wanted Milne or Mercer. After Milne explained that the club wanted both, Shankly repeated the question until Milne stated he believed they wanted him. Shankly advised him to take the job before asking him to leave because his wife Nessie was sleeping in the next room.
Leicester City Besiktas and Return
Milne spent a decade at Highfield Road, serving his final year as director of football before moving to Leicester City in 1982. At Leicester, he secured promotion and formed a prolific strike partnership between Alan Smith and Gary Lineker. When Coventry won the FA Cup in 1987, the only major trophy in their 143-year history, Milne was moving to Turkey to manage Besiktas.
Milne led Besiktas to three consecutive Turkish league titles from 1990 to 1992, completing the third title undefeated, and later returned as the club's director of football in 2005. Lineker later persuaded Milne to manage Nagoya Grampus Eight in Japan for a year before Milne returned to Turkish football and subsequently served as Newcastle United director of football alongside Sir Bobby Robson.
Top Flight Survival and Frank Lampard
Reflecting on his time at Highfield Road, Milne expressed pride in maintaining Coventry's top flight status over nine years without suffering relegation. Major clubs such as Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Chelsea twice were relegated during that same era. "Nine years and we didn't get relegated," Milne said. "You couldn't say that's the objective at the start of every season but over those nine seasons, look at who went down. Some big ones went."
Milne also praised current manager Frank Lampard for guiding Coventry back to the top division. "Frank has done a great job," Milne said. "He has done it all as a player, knows his football and has strong contacts. It looks like they want to play for him and that's important. And he has connected with the fans. It's great to see them back."
