What an incredible game against Bristol City last Saturday at the CBS Arena! Many fans were calling it the most exciting game since we were relegated from the Premier League twenty years ago and it's hard to think of many better. For the fourth time this season at the stadium the Sky Blues came from behind to win and the third occasion with a winner in added time. It's a testament to the team's never say die attitude, the level of fitness and the game management of Mark Robins. Bristol City, a team that had won on five of their seven visits to the stadium before Saturday, followed Nottingham Forest, Reading and Fulham in being turned over by a gutsy home performance.
One extra twist on Saturday was the fact that they did it with ten men, following the dismissal of Ian Maatsen on the stroke of half-time for a foul inside the penalty area which resulted in a spot-kick for the visitors. It's only the fourth time in the club's history that a ten-men City team have come from behind to win and the first since 1999 when Charlton Athletic succumbed 2-1 at Highfield Road after City's John Aloisi was shown a red card for lashing out at a far from innocent Danny Mills with the score 1-0 to the visitors. Goals from Noel Whelan and substitute Trond Soltvedt saw the Sky Blues home.
The other two occurrences were in away FA Cup games in the 1990s. In 1995, in a Third Round replay at the Hawthorns, City's Paul Cook was sent off early in the game before Albion took the lead just after half-time through Paul Raven. Minutes later the Baggies were also reduced to ten men when Darren Bradley saw red. Roared on by a large Sky Blue Army, City left it late but won the game through Dion Dublin and a brilliant solo effort from Peter Ndlovu. Perhaps as both teams finished with ten men it doesn't count.
The following season Ron Atkinson's team travelled to Plymouth for a Third Round tie. After eighteen minutes Dave Busst was ordered off for a foul on the edge of the penalty area. From the resulting free-kick Argyle took the lead through Ian Baird. Early in the second half ten-men City came to life and scored three goals in six minutes to clinch a 3-1 victory and a place in Round Four. The scorers were Ally Pickering, his only goal for the club in 75 appearances, John Salako and Paul Telfer.
Several readers have asked me if Coventry City's rise through the leagues has been matched or bettered by anyone in the same period. The low point, position-wise, for City was in February 2018 at Mansfield when a late controversial penalty by Jonson Clarke-Harris grabbed a point. After that game City were ninth in League Two (or 77th in the 92) and six points outside the play-off positions. Now they lie fourth in the Championship (24th in the 92) – an improvement of 53 places in just over three and a half years and the most spectacular rise in the club's history and even better than Jimmy Hill's on-field improvement.
Looking at the league tables back in February 2018 the only other club to jump two divisions in the intervening period are Luton Town, who led League Two on the date (69th in the 92). Luton currently stand 11th (31st in the 92)in the Championship, an improvement of 38 places. The next best club is Blackpool with a rise of 30 places to their current 10th place in the Championship. When one looks at teams currently in League One it is fascinating to see the big clubs that City have leapfrogged over in that time. Ipswich, Sheffield Wednesday and Sunderland were all in the Championship that season whilst Wigan, Portsmouth and Bradford City were all in the top half of League One.
Last week I had the pleasure of attending the 45th anniversary of Coventry City London Supporters Club's formation. Held in London, 70 City fans from the capital and the South East enjoyed a great evening and were joined by a large contingent from the football club including Joy Seppala, Tim Fisher, Mark Robins and Dave Boddy. It was great to catch up with many old friends who came out to celebrate a great milestone in CCLSC's history.
As one of the original eleven members I was asked to pay a tribute to the founder Colin Heys who was in attendance. Colin placed an advert in the Tottenham programme for City's game there in October 1976 and the following month organised the first get together. Colin, who has lived in Kent for all that time, was a leading light in CCLSC for many years but travelled all over the country watching the Sky Blues. He has now watched over 2200 matches and that includes a staggering run of 684 consecutive first team games over 13 ½ years.
If you have a question about the history or statistics of Coventry City please drop me an email at clarriebourton@gmail.com and follow me on Twitter @clarriebourton
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