Jim's column 12.10.2019

Coventry City's excellent unbeaten start came to a shuddering halt at Rotherham's New York Stadium last Saturday. It was the Sky Blues' biggest league defeat for eighteen months -since that 2-6 debacle against Yeovil in the League Two promotion season. You have to go back to Easter Monday 2013 for the last time they lost by four goals in an away league game. That was a 0-4 defeat at Walsall near the end of the season. Left-back Jordan Stewart received his marching orders for two yellow cards in the 64th minute with the Saddlers, managed by current Villa boss Dean Smith, already 2-0 ahead and two late goals made it an embarrassing scoreline for manager Steven Pressley. It's interesting to look at City's team that day – it included a number of players who have gone on to greater things including Cyrus Christie, substitute Callum Wilson and John Fleck but some who have almost disappeared without trace and barely remembered by City fans. William Edjenguele and Callum Ball made their final starts in sky blue that day and Derby loanee James Bailey, Stephen Jennings and Franck Moussa were all on their way to the exit door.

The unbeaten run is over but let's not forget that it was the club's second best start ever in league football, falling five short of the club record set in 1937-38 which I have written about in earlier columns. I don't fancy waiting another 82 years for a similar start. The 10-game run was also the best unbeaten run since Tony Mowbray's exciting team were unbeaten in 11 games in October and November 2015.

Tranmere are tomorrow's visitors at St Andrews and won't be easy opponents. City's home record against them is quite good – only two defeats in ten games but the Sky Blues have a woeful record at Birkenhead with just one victory in nine visits (in 1938!). Those fans who travelled to watch City at Sixfields in 2013-14 will remember the 5-1 thrashing dished out by the Merseyside club that day with Ryan Lowe registering a hat-trick. Older fans will remember another 5-1 drubbing at Tranmere in a 1999 League Cup tie when City were a Premier League Club but threw Italian goalkeeper Rafaele Nuzzo in for his one and only senior game. It will be the fourth different venue that Tranmere have played away games against City, Highfield Road, Ricoh Arena, Sixfields and now St Andrews.

Following my mention of City's great home record in 1955-56 (they remained unbeaten from the start of the season until February) David Walker was in touch with his memories of the legendary manager Jesse Carver:

Thanks for the piece on longest unbeaten runs, especially the piece about Jesse Carver.

Amazing how some things stick in your mind, but that season (1955-56) was special, in one particular way.

Standing behind the goal, at the Swan Lane end that year, we seemed always to be watching a mediocre first half, with the City not looking too effective and short of ideas.

As the second half started, Mr Carver would appear from the tunnel and lean back against the terrace wall, just standing there, watching things, arms folded and obviously missing nothing. He was very distinctive in that light coloured sports jacket (as per the picture) and it was as if a someone had thrown a switch and got the team playing.

How? I reckon he had spent the first half weighing up the opposition, sorted out the needs in the dressing room at half time and came out to see the results, which usually gave us a lot to cheer.

Also, it was good to see long time director Erle Shanks in the picture. Derrick Robins gets a lot of plaudits, but Mr Shanks was a great supporter of the club, when there was not much money about.