TOMORROW, Sunderland take on Coventry City in a game that could have huge ramifications in the League One promotion race. As supporters of a certain vintage know only too well, though, this is not the first time the two clubs have been battling it out in close proximity in the table in the closing stages of a season. The hope this time around, however, is that it will at least be a fair fight.

There are plenty who will claim that was not the case back in 1977, when Sunderland, Coventry and Bristol City were involved in a three-way battle to avoid relegation from the old First Division. Thanks to a late-season fixture pile-up, the final games of the season had been rescheduled to a Thursday night in late May, with all three relegation rivals level on points. Sunderland were playing Everton at Goodison Park, while Coventry, who had the worst goal difference of the trio, were hosting Bristol City at Highfield Road.

So far, so exciting. But the night began in a controversial manner when Coventry’s managing director, Jimmy Hill, pushed for his side’s game to be delayed by around 15 minutes because of crowd congestion outside the stadium. These days, both games would have been held back, but back then, while Coventry’s game was delayed, Sunderland’s kicked off at its scheduled time.

On Merseyside, things did not go well for the Wearsiders. Despite going into the game in reasonable form, Jimmy Adamson’s side were second best throughout and lost 2-0.

Crucially, as the final whistle blew at Goodison, Coventry were drawing 2-2 with Bristol City, a scoreline that meant both sides would survive at Sunderland’s expense. Hill, having been regularly updated on events at Everton, raced to the PA announcer’s box with the final scoreline and it was announced over the tannoy as well as being displayed on the giant scoreboard in the ground.

The players on the pitch were immediately aware that safety was in their grasp, and the final ten minutes were akin to a testimonial, with neither side making any attempt to attack.

Sunderland were furious, but while Coventry were found guilty of influencing the outcome of a game by erroneous or foul means, and Hill was reprimanded by the FA, the result stood. The Wearsiders were livid, and emotions continue to run high to this day, to the extent that Hill, who has now passed away, was famously barracked incessantly when he was a guest of honour at Sunderland’s game at Fulham in 2008.

“I’m aware there’s a bit of history between the two clubs,” said Phil Parkinson, who would have been ten when Hill’s chicanery proved so controversial. “It got explained to me when we played them at home – a few people took me to one side and said I should be ready for a bit of an atmosphere or a reaction.

“It’s funny how football works like that. Clubs have little quirks like that sometimes, little moments that seem to grow in importance over time. History doesn’t normally get forgotten in football, especially by football supporters.”

In previous seasons, Sunderland fans have hurled abuse at the statue of Hill that stands outside the Ricoh Arena, however they will not be able to vent their spleen in a similar manner when the two sides meet tomorrow, with Coventry having been forced to relocate to Birmingham City’s St Andrew’s.

Highfield Road has long been demolished, but Coventry’s complicated ownership situation has resulted in them having to vacate the Ricoh and move their home games some 25 miles north-west to Birmingham.

Given the difficulties that are inherent in having to relocate an entire football club, it is remarkable that Coventry head into their final 14 matches of the season occupying an automatic-promotion position, and Parkinson admits Mark Robins and the rest of his coaching staff deserve a huge amount of credit for their efforts this term.

“You’ve got to give them credit for the way they’ve handled everything’s that gone on,” said the Sunderland boss. “Going to St Andrew’s can’t have been easy, but they’ve got some good young players and a way of playing that’s similar to ourselves.

“The players understand the system they play, and they’ve done well. They’re up there on merit. The teams that are up there at this stage of the season deserve to be there, and they’re serious contenders obviously.”

Unsurprisingly, Coventry’s crowds have dropped off dramatically in their temporary home – Tuesday’s top-two battle with Rotherham attracted a crowd of just 8,990 – and Sunderland’s army of travelling fans should make tomorrow’s game feel like a home game for the players in red-and-white.

“It’ll be similar to when we went to Doncaster and took four-and-a-half thousand,” said Parkinson. “It’s not Coventry’s real home and we’re probably going to have about a third of the fans. We’ll have to use that to our benefit.”