The poor league form from the previous term was to carry over into
the 1980/81 season, with City bottom of the league with no wins from the
first ten games, and after a 1-0 defeat at Leeds on October 8th Malcolm
Allison was sacked and replaced by ex-Norwich boss John Bond. He
immediately brought in a number of experienced players, with Tony losing
his place in the team, and the transformation was instant as the Blues
picked up eight wins in ten games. The next few months saw City move
swiftly up the table to ensure league safety, but it was in the cups
where progress was really made. In the League Cup Henry had hit a rich
vein of form, getting his chance because of cup-tied players, and he was
on the scoresheet against Stoke (1-1 & 3-0), Luton (2-1) and also
West Brom (2-1), before a 2-1 aggregate semi-final defeat to Liverpool.
In the FA Cup Tony had made appearances at full-back in wins over Norwich (6-0, the photo above is during the game 24th. January 1981 - photo G. Herringshaw. ©)
and Peterborough (1-0) in earlier rounds, and had also fought his way
back into the league side as the Blues went on to reach the Centenary
cup final against Tottenham Hotspur. He was named as substitute on the
day as the clubs fought out a 1-1 draw, coming on in extra-time for City
scorer Tommy Hutchison, but for the replay he was left out of the squad
altogether in favour of Dennis Tueart as Spurs ran out 3-2 winners.
Even so it had ultimately been a successful season, Henry making 27
league appearances with 2 goals and receiving an FA Cup runners-up
medal.
Having made substitute appearances in the first two games
of the following season Tony was the subject of a £120, 000 offer from
Bolton Wanderers, which manager Bond decided to accept, and he was
subsequently sold to them in September 1981, having made 93 league and
cup appearances (including 13 as substitute) in his City career, scoring
12 goals. He later went on to play for Oldham Athletic and Stoke City
before having two years in Japan with Mazda Sports Club. He returned to
the UK in 1991 and spent a successful season with Shrewsbury Town before
moving into non-league football, after which he remained in the game
working in various roles as an agent and football club scout. (David Redshaw)
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