Jim's column 26.3.2016

It is sad to report the death this week of former Coventry City left winger Jack Boxley at the age of 84. Jack made his name at Bristol City and was a member of their Third Division South championship side in 1954-55 before a move to Coventry in 1957 for whom he made 94 appearances scoring 18 goals.

Cradley-born Jack caught several league club's attention playing for Stourbridge in the Birmingham League as a 19-year old and Bristol City had to pay £2,000, a large fee for a non-league player, to aquire him in October 1950. Within a week Jack made his debut in a 2-1 home win over Newport County alongside former Coventry centre-forward George Lowrie. In 1951-52 he overcame a serious leg injury and between 1950 and 1956 made 200 starts for the Robins, netting 34 goals and was a major contributor to many of centre-forward John Atyeo's 100 plus goals. The 1954-55 championship side racked up 70 points (when there were two points for a win) and 101 league goals and Boxley rightly became a Legend in Bristol. Atyeo and Boxley were best friends and were best men at each other's wedding.

                                                             Jack Boxley

In 1956-57 Jack lost his first team place at Ashton Gate and in December 1956 City manager Harry Warren, using the money raised by the sale of Reg Matthews to Chelsea, signed Jack and his Bristol teammate Jimmy Rogers, a goalscoring inside-forward. In an inauspicious first game – against Crystal Palace at Highfield Road – the floodlights failed and the game was abandoned after 51 minutes at 0-0. Seven days later Boxley scored on his full debut as City won their first away game of the season 3-2 at Southend. But the club was in a mess with large debts, falling crowds and their lowest league position since the 1920s. Boxley started on the left-wing, and scored four goals in his first five games, but was soon switched inside to accommodate the young home-grown starlet Ray Sambrook.

In 1957-58 City's problems came to a head – manager Warren was sacked and Billy Frith returned as manager but was unable to stop the club finishing in the lower half of the division which meant they would be placed in the new Fourth Division. Jack played a small part in the 1958-59 promotion season, making 15 appearances and scoring one goal before losing his place to Alan 'Digger' Daley.

Back in Division Three City made a strong promotion challenge in 1959-60 and in late February laying third in the table, they faced second placed Bury at Highfield Road. It was a day for drama, with a big crowd (over 21,000) there to see it happen. In Bristol the drama was unfolding. Jack, who still lived and trained in Bristol, was travelling up to Coventry on the morning of the match when his car broke down. He never made the match and Coventry with no ready-made stand-in to take his place, had to pull young full-back Brian Shepherd from the 'A' team playing locally that morning. City played like a team with a vital part missing and lost 1-0 and it was the beginning of a slump that ended the team's promotion hopes. Jack only made two more appearances for City and re-joined his beloved Robins the following August.

His return to Ashton Gate was not a great success. He made only 13 appearances and although he failed to score a league goal he did manage Bristol's first-ever goal in the League Cup in a 1-1 draw with Aldershot. Released by the Robins the following summer, Jack played for Chippenham Town in the Western League before hanging up his boots. He married Patricia and brought up a family in Long Ashton and in 2014 was voted into the Bristol City Hall of Fame and was a regular at Ashton Gate for many years. This week his daughter Lisa Bardens told the Bristol City website that her father, like many former footballers, had been suffering from dementia.

Swindon Town came to Coventry last week and escaped with their impressive unbeaten league record against the Sky Blues intact. The clubs have met 11 times since City's last victory in the fixture – in October 1964. Swindon have won six and drawn five of those games since goals by Ernie Machin, George Hudson and Ken Hale earned Jimmy Hill's side a 3-2 home win in 1964.

Regular reader Keith Ballantyne asked what was the last competitive appearance in a City shirt by an outfield member of the 1987 F.A.Cup winning side ?

The answer is Lloyd McGrath who on 10th April 1994 came on as a substitute, coincidentally versus Tottenham at Highfield Road. City won 1-0 with a Peter Ndlovu penalty. Gary Mabbutt also played that day. Another hero of '87, Brian Borrows, who tragically missed out at Wembley through injury, played on for three more years making the last of his 488 appearances in a City shirt against Derby County on 3rd May 1997.

Jim's Column 19.3.2016

Last week I wrote about Coventry City's poor form against Lancashire clubs and what happens - the Sky Blues end a 97-year hoodoo at Blackpool and record only their fifth win in the North West in 15 trips since they were relegated from the Championship in 2012. It may have been an ugly win over a poor side but that is just what is required to get the team into the play-offs.

City's record at Bloomfield Road has historically been atrocious with only one win and one draw in 13 visits in League & Cup games since they joined the league in 1919. The clubs didn't meet in league games between 1925 and 1970 and have only played them regularly since 2007. The solitary win came in March 1923, a month before the old Wembley stadium was opened. Jimmy Dougall netted the only goal in a dour game as City pulled off a shock result by beating the league leaders despite being in the relegation zone. Since then there have been some dreadful results including City's 1-0 loss at Bloomfield Road in 1970-71 when the Seasiders were rated as one of the worst sides to play in the top division since the war.

Talking of Blackpool, regular correspondent Keith Ballantyne reminded me of comments made by Ernie Hunt regarding the famous donkey-kick goal against Everton in 1970. Ernie has often mentioned that he and Willie Carr had tried the trick before in a game at Blackpool. Keith wondered if it was the league defeat there in December 1970 but in fact it was a pre-season friendly at Bloomfield Road in August 1970, two months before the famous goal against Everton. The free-kick, which Ernie has always said almost hit the clock, was so much a failure that the Coventry Telegraph's Derek Henderson didn't even mention it in his match report. I reminded Keith that Alan Green and Johnny Stevenson pulled off the donkey-kick trick in an FA Youth Cup tie against Shrewsbury soon after the Everton game. Henderson reported that this goal, the final one in a 6-0 home victory, was 'further out than Hunt's and left the Shrewsbury 'keeper helpless'.

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about famous City slumps, one of which turned out to have silver lining (1964) and one which ended in disaster (2002). Dave Long reminded me about a slump in form in 1973 after City went out of the FA Cup in the sixth round. With new signings Tommy Hutchison and Colin Stein dazzling and homegrown youngsters Willie Carr, Dennis Mortimer and Brian Alderson impressing, Joe Mercer and Gordon Milne's team had an impressive winter which took them to a comfortable mid-table place in Division One and an FA Cup run that had fans talking about a first ever trip to Wembley. However after their FA Cup defeat at Molineux the side lost form completely and lost nine of their final ten games, the only result being a 3-1 victory over Ipswich at Highfield Road. In the modern era that sort of run would probably result in a sacking as it did for Chris Coleman in 2010 when his Sky Blues team fell from eighth place to 19^th in their final eleven games which failed to produce a win and gleaned only five points.

Susan Andrews from Hinckley was in touch recently regarding an old programme she wanted to donate to the club's archives. Sue and her friend Jean McCormick (who now lives in Canada) were both born in Coventry, and trained as Nursery Nurses. They both moved to the island of Bermuda and were working at a children's nursery in Paget in 1967 when they heard that the Sky Blues were visiting the island and planning a friendly game nearby.

Sue takes up the story:

'We made a banner out of babies muslin nappies (clean ones of course!!) and wrote upon it 'SKY BLUES' in the children's pale blue paint. I think that's what drew the players attention to us, as they were only known as Coventry City FC in the advertisement of the game there. Before the kick off several of the players came across for a chat and I recall that's when we were invited to the after game party !'

The Sky Blues were enjoying a promotion celebration holiday in the West Indies with a few friendly games thrown in and the game against a Police Recreation Select XI was the final game before they returned to the UK. City won the game, played at the Pembroke Hamilton Club Stadium, 8-0 with goals from Ronnie Rees (2), Brian Lewis (2), John Tudor, Ernie Machin, Dave Clements and Dietmar Bruck.

Jim's column 12.3.2016

Two more defeats in the last seven days have made Coventry City's task of reaching the League One play-offs this season extremely difficult. After the Bury game last month City looked to be back on track following their January 'blip' with a play-off place definitely achievable. Since then four defeats in a row have punctured the dreams of City's fans who were hoping to see their team reach the play-offs for the first time in their history. The blip has now become a slump.

Over the past five seasons it has typically required 73 or 74 points to get into the League One play-offs, although last season Chesterfield finished sixth with 69 points. If we assume 73 points would be necessary for City to finish in the top six then a further 21 points is required, from the remaining 11 games (including today's game at Blackpool). That equates to seven victories or six victories and three draws. On current form that looks a tall order and only a swift return to the form of last autumn will suffice. In October and November City racked up 23 points from 11 games (six wins and five draws) with their dazzling football. That is the form that is now required.

The defeat at Shrewsbury made it four losses in a row and the team's worst run since the miserable days of 2012 just after they were relegated to League One. Following manager Andy Thorn's departure following a 2-2 home draw with Bury in August, Richard Shaw took over as caretaker manager, assisted by Lee Carsley. Shaw's team knocked Birmingham City in the League Cup but then lost four league games in a row:

Crewe (a) 0-1

Stevenage (h) 1-2

Tranmere (a) 0-2

Shrewsbury (a) 1-4

Mark Robins took over and lost his first game in charge (at the Emirates to Arsenal in the League Cup) and then lost his first league game (1-2 at home to Carlisle) to make it five consecutive league defeats.

Shrewsbury featured in that run as well as the current run and City have a woeful record in that town. In fifteen league visits the Sky Blues have won just once, at Easter 1958 when they turned around a 1-0 half-time deficit to win 3-1 with goals from Ray Straw (2) and Peter Hill.

Following last week's home defeat to Rochdale Keith Ballantyne wrote to me about City's record against Lancashire clubs in recent seasons. He wrote:

'the successive home defeats to Fleetwood and Rochdale (a 'City hoodoo' club in their own right if my memory serves me correctly?), plus Oldham's late equaliser at home last year and not to mention the legendary curse of Deepdale, the 6-0 thumping of Bury and the earlier wins against Wigan and Fleetwood aside, do you think there is any evidence to support a theory that City don't always do too well against sides from west of the Pennines ?

Keith is spot on about the Preston curse – City have never won at Deepdale in a league game. Rochdale too have become a 'hoodoo' club for the Sky Blues. For the second season running City have failed to beat a club who struggle to get 3,000 for home games and in 13 league and cup meetings with 'Dale' City have a solitary League Cup victory to their name. Oldham also have been a thorn in City's side over the last four seasons and City have managed to win only two of seven meetings.

I thought it worthwhile looking at the stats over the last four seasons (since we were relegated from the Championship). I have included teams from Greater Manchester (Wigan, Bury & Rochdale) and Merseyside (Tranmere) in my analysis and the results don't make pleasant reading.

At home the record against what Keith describes as 'Lancashire Laddies' is pretty poor with only four wins from 17 games, two of which were in 2012-13 and the other two this season (Bury 6-0 and Wigan 2-0), and nine draws. Away from home the Sky Blues have played 14 and won four, drawn four and lost six but apart from the two victories at Fleetwood have not won in eight trips north. The win ratio over Lancs' clubs over the period is only 25% compared to an overall win ratio of 36%. The statistics do seem to support Keith's theory about clubs from west of the Pennines. Let's hope City's form changes today at the Lancashire seaside at a ground no Coventry City side has won at since 1923.

Home

Away

	Played	W	D	L	W	D	L	Pts
2012-13	8	2	2	0	2	1	1	15
2013-14	6	0	2	1	0	2	1	4
2014-15	8	0	3	1	1	0	3	6
2015-16	9	2	2	2	1	1	1	12
Totals	31	4	9	4	4	4	6	37

Coventry City's record against 'Lancashire' clubs in League One.

Jim's column 5.3.2016

Coventry City's poor form continued at Barnsley on Tuesday night with a 2-0 defeat to the division's form team. This following hard on the heels of Saturday's home defeat to Fleetwood means City have won only one of the last eight games and three of the last fifteen (since that incredible performance against Gillingham. With only two home wins in eight, the team's form is of great concern and it is only the inconsistent form of the clubs around them that keeps them in the top six before today.

City fans have become accustomed to these slumps but they are not usually from such strong positions and I thought I would recall two such dips in form. In 2002, City's first year down from the Premier League, the Sky Blues, under Roland Nilsson had an impressive autumn run which enabled the fans to forget about the woeful start which cost Gordon Strachan his job as manager. At the end of October they briefly reached top spot but over the winter despite their form being inconsistent they kept in touch with the top six. In February six wins in eight games pushed them up to fourth and with seven games remaining a play-off place looked on the cards. Then disaster struck and the side recorded just a solitary point from 21 and finished tenth. In the final reckoning if City had got nine points from those seven games they would have clinched a play-off place. The slump cost Nilsson, somewhat unfairly, his position and since then the club have never been near the play-offs.

In 1963-64, when there were two points for a win) Jimmy Hill's team were nine points clear at the top of Division Three on 3^rd January after a stunning first half of the season. 68 goals in 27 games and 18 wins out of 27 had in most people's eyes clinched promotion to Division Two. Then the wheels fell off and the team went until the last Saturday in March (11 games) before recording their next win. The results were as follows:-

January 11 (a) Reading drew 2-2

January 18 (h) Luton drew 3-3

January 22 (a) Oldham lost 0-2

February 1 (h) Hull City drew 2-2

February 8 (a) Mansfield lost 2-3

February 15 (h) Brentford drew 2-2

February 22 (a) Wrexham drew 1-1

February 29 (h) Bournemouth drew 2-2

March 7 (a) Watford drew 1-1

March 13 (h) Southend lost 2-5

March 21 (a) Bournemouth lost 1-2

By the end of February the Sky Blues' lead had been cut to one point with Crystal Palace on their shoulders and Watford a further point back. On 14^th March Palace, with their tenth win out of 12, sailed past the Sky Blues and City fans, unable to see another victory were giving up on promotion (there were no play-offs in those days and only two were promoted). A week later Palace extended the lead to four points and Watford drew level with City, and with a game in hand, with several other clubs on their heels. Finally on 28^th March City recorded a win, beating Oldham 4-1 at Highfield Road thanks to new signing George Kirby's hat-trick.

Two draws and two more wins put City back on tracks and on top with three games remaining but a draw at Millwall and defeat at Peterborough meant they went into their final game at home to Colchester two points behind Palace and level with Watford but with a superior goal average. Older fans will know the story had a happy ending – Palace and Watford both lost what looked easy games on paper, City scraped a 1-0 over Colchester and finished top. Interestingly Palace failed to win any of their last seven games.

This week, as in March 1964, some City fans are writing off the prospects of finishing in the play-off places. Some are saying that with our form our chances have gone. I believe form is a small part of the equation over the coming weeks. City's form in 1964 indicated that promotion was out of the question but that massive win over Oldham turned the tide for Jimmy Hill's side and although they had to rely on other team's mishaps, they regained their composure and achieved their goal. 1964 was a leap year, let's hope that is an omen for Tony Mowbray's team.

Hats off to former City boss Steven Pressley last week. He set up his Fleetwood side to frustrate the Sky Blues and took three points away to help their fight against relegation, before following up with a victory over Gillingham on Tuesday evening. He was the first former City boss to return and win a league game in Coventry since Harry Storer in 1947. Since then numerous managers have returned but failed including Jack Fairbrother (with Peterborough), Gordon Milne (Leicester), Bobby Gould (Wimbledon), Iain Dowie (QPR), Micky Adams (Sheffield United) and Mark Robins (Scunthorpe). Gould did manage a Full Members Cup victory at Highfield Road in 1989.

                                                                    Harry Storer

Storer, for many as important to the club's history as Jimmy Hill, left City to join Birmingham City in 1945, after revolutionising the club in the eight seasons leading up to World War Two. He brought the Blues to Highfield Road for a Second Division game in October 1946 and got a 0-0 draw but in August 1947 the Blues won 1-0 on their way to promotion to Division One. Walter Aveyard scoring the goal in front of 30,558. Just over a year later Storer amazingly resigned from his job at St Andrews to return to the Highfield Road hot-seat and steered the club away from the relegation zone.