 Despite a club record 9 – 1 defeat to Colchester United on 30 December 1961 , City came fifth in 1961 – 62 , thanks to David Layne 's 34 league goals — his total remains a club record for a season — but missed out on promotion by just one point . Layne left for Sheffield Wednesday and City finished 23rd the following season , forcing them to apply for re @-@ election . In 1966 , the club directors moved the pitch 2 @.@ 74 metres ( 3 @.@ 00 yd ) closer to the main stand , creating enough space for them to add a new safe standing area on the Midland Road side of the ground and open all four stands for the first time since 1960 . Attendances continued to drop and a new record low of 1 @,@ 353 was set on 12 May 1966 against Wrexham . It prompted chairman Stafford Heginbotham to hold a crisis meeting in the city 's St George 's Hall to raise new funds and safeguard the future of the club . The club 's indifferent form on the field continued , with another re @-@ election and two narrow promotion failures , before promotion was gained in 1968 – 69 . Only the previous season , City had had three managers , when Grenville Hair , who had replaced Willie Watson , died just two months into his reign , after he collapsed at the end of a training session . 
 Despite a club record 9 – 1 defeat to Colchester United on 30 December 1961 , City came fifth in 1961 – 62 , thanks to David Layne <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>34 league goals — his total <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>remains</mark></a> a club record for a season — but missed out on promotion by just one point . Layne<a href='been_done' title='3'><mark></mark></a> left for Sheffield Wednesday and City<a href='been_done' title='4'><mark></mark></a> finished 23rd the following season , forcing them to apply for re @-@ election . In 1966 , the club directors moved the pitch 2 @.@ 74 metres ( 3 @.@ 00 yd ) closer to the main stand , creating enough space for them to add a new safe standing area on the Midland Road side of the ground and open all four stands for the first time since 1960 . Attendances continued to drop and a new record low of 1 @,@ 353 was set on 12 May 1966 against Wrexham . It prompted chairman Stafford Heginbotham to hold a crisis meeting in the city <a href='null_genetive' title='5'><mark>'s</mark></a>St George <a href='null_genetive' title='6'><mark>'s</mark></a>Hall to raise new funds and safeguard the future of the club . The club <a href='null_genetive' title='7'><mark>'s</mark></a>indifferent form on the field continued , with another re @-@ election and two narrow promotion failures , before promotion was gained in 1968 – 69 . Only the previous season , City <a href='been_done' title='8'><mark>had</mark></a> had three managers , when Grenville Hair , <a href='null_relcl' title='9'><mark>who</mark></a><a href='been_done' title='10'><mark>had</mark></a> replaced Willie Watson , died just two months into his reign , after he collapsed at the end of a training session . 
Despite a club record 9 – 1 defeat to Colchester United on 30 December 1961 , City came fifth in 1961 – 62 , thanks to David Layne  34 league goals — his total remain a club record for a season — but missed out on promotion by jus one point . Layne been left for Sheffield Wednesday and City done finished 23rd da following season , forcing them to apply fir re @-@ election . In 1966 , the club directors moved the pitch 2 @.@ 74 metres ( 3 @.@ 00 yd ) closer to tdamain stand , creating enough space for em to add a new safe standing area on thdaidland Road side of thedaound and open alll four stands for the first time since 1960 . Attendances continued to drop and a new record low of 1 @,@ 353 was set on 12 May 1966 against Wrexham . It prompted chairman Stafford Heginbotham to hold a crisis meeting in the city  St George  Hall to raise new funds and safeguard the daure of the club . The club  indifferent form on the field continued , with another re @-@ election and 2 narrow promotion failures , before promotion was gained in 1968 – 69 . Only the pdaious season , City done had three managers , when Grenville Hair , done replaced Willie Watson , died jjustwo months into his reign , after he collapsed at the end of a training session .