1972 Japan v Coventry City

Japan v Coventry City - 1972

In 1972 Coventry toured Japan, playing three matches against the Japan National Team. The first game on 4 June was won comfortably 3-0 by Coventry City. However Japan were to exact revenge two days later on 6 June with a 1-0 victory in the Tokyo National Stadium. The final and deciding match was played in Kobe on 10 June where Coventry City secured a narrow 2-1 victory to edge the three-game series.

Two official programmes were produced for the Coventry City games in Japan in 1972.

The first programme, which covered all three games has 12 x B5 pages (including 3 pages of adverts) and is all in Japanese. After the introductions, the programme includes an article on Coventry City and full details of the Coventry City squad including small pen-picture photos of each of the players and officials. Details are given of the Japan squad including small player photos and finally there is a page to enter scores/line-ups etc.

The second programme was only sold at the final game in Kobe and is particularly rare as is the ticket. The programme has 18 x B5 pages in landscape format (with five pages of adverts) and is again all in Japanese. The programme has two pages of introductions from the Japan FA etc. and then lists details of the three games to be played on the tour. There is an article on Coventry City and full details of the Coventry City squad are given including small pen-picture photos of each of the players and officials. Details are given of the Japan squad together with small photos of the players.

The medal I have in my collection for this game is really rare and interesting and I suspect might possibly have been given to one of the players or officials?

Programme - Tokyo

Ticket - Tokyo - 6 June

Medal