‘We’ll Be Back Next Year’

Forty years earlier City signed Sam from Doncaster and a few days later he made the first of his 104 games for City against Birmingham, where City drew 2-2.

Renowned for his man management skills he was able to motivate the players on the field and keep them focused on their game, something which would help give City some of their successes.

Sam currently is the only City player to have played in three FA Cup Finals for City.

The first two were defeats against Bolton in 1926 and then against against Everton in 1933. This, actually, is where the header for this piece comes from.

Cowan led his dejected players up to gettheir runners up medals at Wembley from King George V.

The Monach complimented Cowan and his team for their performance to which Sam replied,’Thank you Sir, but we’ll be back next year and win it’.

True to his word in 1934 City and Cowan returned and triumphed against Portsmouth to keep his word.

This, in Sams case at least, made it third time lucky. In true City tradition he also won a Division Two Champions medal also.

He did everything while at City, including getting a couple of England caps. However the League title eluded City until two years after he left.

He would return to City as Manager after World War 2 but lasted only six months before being replaced by John Thompson.

It would be interesting to see what would have happened had City kept with Sam Cowan though, as in the 26 league games he was in charge of, City won 18 to secure promotion back to the top flight.