Millwall has never been a happy hunting ground for Coventry
City and Tuesday night proved to be no exception. It is 56 years since City won
in Docklands – Boxing Day 1955 to be precise – and 16 subsequent league and cup
games have failed to yield a victory. Millwall’s supporters already had a
reputation back then and Jesse Carver’s team (it was his penultimate game as
manager before a premature return to the Italian Serie A) upset them with a
professional display, assisted by a stunning display of goalkeeping from Reg
Matthews as he edged nearer to his first England cap. Matthews kept the
rampaging Lions out and goals from Alan Moore and Ken McPherson ensured a 2-0
win. After the match Reg was the hero again – jumping off a besieged team coach
to confront some gruesome dockers. Even in City’s Second Division 1966-67
promotion season City failed to win in New Cross, losing to a Joe Broadfoot
goal.
Coventry City have now completed one third of the season and
it is time for a review of their record. The Millwall defeat means they have
gained only 12 points from 15 games – a poor record, which if replicated over
the season would almost certainly mean relegation with 36 points. It is the
worst first third of the season since City were relegated from the Premiership
in 2001. In the last ten seasons City have averaged around 21 points from the
first 15 games – the best, 31 in 2001-02 (under Roland Nilsson), the worst, 15
in 2004-05 (under Peter Reid). City, of course, are generally good starters and
have a tendency to fall apart after Christmas, so here’s hoping previous
seasons’ trends are reversed this term.
This start is the worst since the 2000-01 relegation season
when they clocked 12 points from 15 games – but then it was more serious as they
were almost halfway through the 38-game season. The worst start in modern times
was under Ron Atkinson in 1996-97 when they gathered a measly ten points from
15 games. That season they won only one of their first sixteen games and by
then Big Ron had already paid the price. Fortunately his replacement Gordon
Strachan pulled City out of their nose-dive and kept them up on the final day
at White Hart Lane.
Their worst ever start, which hopefully will never been
repeated, was that horrible first season in the Football League in 1919 – where
so many of the dreadful club records reside. That season they gained a pitiful
three points from the first 15 games but still managed to survive the drop but
only because they bribed their opponents!
Darius Henderson is in a rich scoring vein at the moment
with 8 goals in 11 games and six in his last three. Darius is no stranger to
the Sky Blues having netted for Watford against them in 2005-06 and again in
2007-08. He was a key member of the Watford team promoted via the play-offs in
the former season and was the strike partner of Marlon King. From being one of
the top scorers in the Championship he had a torrid time in the Premiership –
failing to net until January 2007 and scoring only three goals all season. He
re-discovered his scoring form for the Hornets back in the Championship before
a big money move to Sheffield United in 2008. He failed to live up to his
‘star’ rating at Bramall Lane and then suffered a serious leg injury which kept
him out of the side for most of last season. By the time he was fit the Blades
were as good as relegated and his wages were presumably too high for League
One. Millwall took a punt and have been richly rewarded.
Finally, a big thank you to all who supported and helped me
two weeks ago at my book launch in Coventry. The management and staff of
Waterstones, G-Casino and Coventry City were fabulous. Thanks also to my
friends from the Former Players Association, especially Billy Bell and the
former players who turned out on the day. Not forgetting Dean Nelson for his
excellent 1960s video. It was a great day and I appreciate everybody’s efforts.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment