Jim's column 12.1.2013

                                                    George Stewart

Goal machine David McGoldrick left Coventry City last week after one of the finest goalscoring runs ever by a Coventry City player. In his three-month loan from Nottingham Forest he netted 16 league goals and two more in the JPT. His league goals make him the highest City scorer in a season since Dion Dublin in the 1997-98 season (that saw him finish as the joint leading scorer, with Michael Owen), in the Premiership and he did it in only 22 games. In the last 45 years only four players have scored more league goals in a season for the Sky Blues (Dublin, Ian Wallace, Terry Gibson and Mickey Quinn). McGoldrick’s scoring ratio is a phenomenal 0.72 and only bettered by three players in the club’s history. In 1933-34 Clarrie Bourton was injured and his stand-in Arthur ‘Rasher’ Bacon scored 16 goals in 14 games before the great man returned to the side. Bacon only played two more games over the next two seasons, scoring one further goal – overall scoring at a rate of 1.06 goals per game. In 1962-63 Terry Bly netted 25 goals in 32 league games (a ratio of 0.78) before Jimmy Hill controversially dropped him in favour of George Hudson. The third is Bourton himself who over a six-season career at Highfield Road scored 173 goals in 228 league games for a ratio of 0.76. By virtue of his longevity Bourton’s record is the most impressive but McGoldrick will be fondly remembered by City fans for many years to come.

Talking of impressive goalscorers I have just discovered the sad news that former City centre-forward George Stewart died in June 2011 aged 84. Stewart hailed from Buckie, a small fishing village in the North of Scotland, and as a teenager was playing for Buckie Thistle when he earned the nickname ‘seven-goal Stewart’ after scoring seven goals in consecutive games. Dundee spotted him and over the next eight years he built a formidable reputation in Scotland scoring goals for Dundee, and St Mirren, where he was leading scorer four seasons running. In 1954 he was in a contract dispute with St Mirren and signed for non-league Worcester City. Once the dispute was resolved he joined Accrington Stanley for £3,000 and became one of the most prolific scorers in the Football League. In four years at Peel Park the nippy striker scored 136 goals in 182 appearances as Stanley had their most successful period ever. The non-smoking teetotaller, George broke all of Stanley’s scoring records including five goals in a 6-2 win over Gateshead in 1954.

After Billy Frith signed him for Coventry in November 1958 he continued scoring and his partnership with Ray Straw helped City out of Division Four at the first attempt. He scored 15 goals in 25 games that season including four in City’s 6-1 win at Carlisle in February 1959 – the club’s biggest post-war away win (We could do with a similar result tomorrow!).

During the 1959-60 season he suffered an injury and lost his place to Ken Satchwell. In 1960 he joined Carlisle before returning to Buckie Thistle a year later. He retired from playing in 1962 and worked as a ship’s chandler and for a local draper in Buckie for many years.

Many words have already been written about City’s tremendous JPT victory over bogey-side Preston. Playing on a Thursday is a very unusual experience for Coventry City. Other than when Boxing Day or New Year’s Day fell on a Thursday, this was the first home game on a Thursday since 1985, and only the fifth time since the war. In 1985 City had a fixture backlog owing to a flu bug around Easter that caused several postponements. City were left needing to win their last three games to avoid relegation and the penultimate game was at home to Luton Town on Thursday 23 May. A late Brian Kilcline goal ensured City’s relegation battle went to the final game, at home to champions Everton on the following Sunday (which they won 4-1). The most famous Thursday game was probably the 2-2 draw with Bristol City in 1977, a result which ensured both clubs avoided relegation at the expense of Sunderland who lost 0-2 at Everton on the same night. Many Sunderland fans still hold a grudge against City and the then chairman, Jimmy Hill, for flashing the Sunderland score on the scoreboard and prompting the teams to stop playing.

Jot Shirley has been in touch regarding the Sky Blue Song. A long-serving City fan, Jot is trying to obtain a copy of the original recording of the song– believed to be by the Ted Heath Orchestra. It was issued as a 45 rpm single in the 1960s but Jot has been unable to trace the song on the internet. If anybody can help Jot, please drop me an email.

Jim's column 15.12.2012

The goals are pouring in for the Sky Blues. Last Saturday’s 5-1 victory over Walsall made it 18 goals in the last six league games and 33 for the season, a total only bettered by Tranmere & Bournemouth in the division. The Sky Blues only need another eight goals to equal the total for the whole of last season and have already scored more goals away from home (18) than in the whole of last season (13). McGoldrick’s golden spell continues – he has scored 13 league and 2 cup goals. He has already scored more league goals than City’s top scorer in nine of the last ten seasons. In that period only Gary McSheffrey in 2005-06, with 15, has bettered McGoldrick’s haul this season. The Forest loanee is pushing some of City’s leading seasonal league goalscorers over the last 40 years:

Ian Wallace (21) in 1977-78

Dion Dublin (18) in 1997-98

Micky Quinn (17) in 1992-93

Terry Gibson (17) in 1983-84

Gary McSheffrey (15) in 2005-06

Ian Wallace (15) in 1978-79

The victory over the Saddlers was the biggest win at home since January 2006 when, on Dennis Wise’s debut, Derby were defeated 6-1. It was also the first time City have come from behind to win a home league game since January 2009 when goals from Guillaume Beuzelin and Michael Mifsud gave City a 2-1 win over Blackpool. It’s been a long time coming!

Walsall skipper Andy Butler received his marching orders ten minutes from time and became the first red card in a City game this season. City haven’t had any players sent off yet and the club’s disciplinary record has been marginally better this season – they had received two red cards by this stage last season – a factor which will hopefully avoid suspensions as the season progresses. And is it my imagination but there seems to be less injuries than in recent campaigns, although we still await the appearance this season of David Bell.

Lee Jones emailed with a couple of questions. The first was regarding the famous 2-2 draw with Bristol City that saw both sides avoiding relegation at the end of the 1976-77 season. He had noticed that this game (along with the Everton v Sunderland game) were both played on a Thursday night, and wondered if there was any particular reason why these two games were held back, as none of the teams were involved in any cup competitions, and the rest of the First division programme had already been completed. Lee, the original game had been postponed a couple of times (on 1^st January and 1^st March) because of the weather - it was one of the worst winters for many years. Many clubs had fixture backlogs and although the final day of the season had been scheduled for the previous Saturday there were 12 outstanding games after that date. In those days there was no requirement for clubs to play their final games on the same day. There was however only one outstanding issue and that was who would be relegated with Stoke City and Tottenham. Bristol, who had been favourites to go down a week earlier had given themselves a fighting chance by beating champions Liverpool 2-1 on the Monday night. Sunderland, who had been 16^th of 22 clubs following the last Saturday’s results, were suddenly into play and had to travel to Goodison Park. The draw at Highfield Road meant that Sunderland were relegated and bitter Sunderland fans have never forgiven Coventry or their chairman Jimmy Hill who they accused of deliberately delaying the kick-off of the game to give City some advantage. The games that night were not the final games of the Division One season – there were two games the following Monday night.

Lee’s second query is regarding a programme for the last day escape against Everton, played at Highfield Road on Sunday 26th May 1985. He wondered if there was ever actually a programme printed for this game, as after much searching he has only been able to trace ones for the date that the game was originally due to be played - 9th February, 1985. Lee, there was a four-page insert, with updated stats and team line ups, printed and sold with the original programme on the Sunday morning.

 

Two updates to last week’s column. First, Geoff Moore pointed out that City haven’t scored every penalty in shoot-outs this season. Richard Wood actually missed the 10^th penalty in the Burton shoot-out before Joe Murphy saved Burton’s 10^th and scored City’s 11^th to win the tie.

Secondly. Keith Ballantyne remembers the Bristol Rovers cup-tie in 1963 and recalls Rovers playing in red and white striped shirts (not blue and white stripes).

The Former Players Association Christmas stall was a great success last Saturday and £300 was raised for the Association. The stall will be repeated next Saturday at the Preston game in the foyer of the G-Casino. On sale to raise funds for the FPA will be books, shirts, signed images of Keith Houchen’s Wembley goal (only £10) and various other memorabilia ideal for Christmas presents for Sky Blue fans. Thanks to everyone who generously bought items.

Jim's column 24.11.2012

What a week for the Sky Blues, two away wins, eight goals and a four-place leap up the League One table not to mention a field day for stattos like me. The Hartlepool game was full of great statistics but the plaudits of the week must go to David McGoldrick for scoring in six consecutive away games and breaking the great Clarrie Bourton’s record set in 1931-32 season. Bourton was in his pomp in 1931-32, his first season at Coventry following his move from Blackburn Rovers.  Between 19 September 1931 and 28 November he netted 20 goals in 11 consecutive games including five away games in which he netted six goals. His total goal haul for the season was 50 (49 League, 1 FA Cup) and he finished as the Football League's leading scorer.
McGoldrick is on fire right now and although he only managed a penalty at the Victoria Ground on Saturday, he scored an excellent third goal at Colchester to take Clarrie’s record. He has now scored eight goals in his last 6 away games and 14 league and cup goals in total. He has already scored more goals in a season than any Coventry player in the last four seasons – the last player to score more in a campaign was Gary McSheffrey who scored 17 in 2005-06.

One record McGoldrick is very unlikely to take from Bourton is scoring in consecutive HOME games. Between 17 March 1934 and 3 November Clarrie scored in every home game (12 in total). What a phenomenal record. The post-war record of consecutive home goals is held by Ted Roberts with eight, with Eddie Brown, Ray Straw and Bobby Gould six and George Hudson and Gary McSheffrey five.

The 5-0 win at Hartlepool was the first time City have scored more than three goals in a league game since 2008. They had last scored four in October 2008 against Southampton at the Ricoh (4-1) and last scored five in April 2008 at Colchester (5-1). Although it wasn't a record away win (that was the 7-0 at Aberdare Athletic in 1926-27) it was amazingly the first time in the club's history that they have won an away league game 5-0, that includes the pre-Football League era in the Southern & Birmingham Leagues. They did win an FA cup tie 5-0 at Kettering in 1909. 

Tuesday night's win made it three away wins in a row - the first time City have achieved that since 2003-04 when, under Eric Black, the team won four in a row at Walsall, Nottingham Forest, Wimbledon and Cardiff. What a period that was under Black and it was a travesty that he was unceremoniously booted out by Mike McGinnity and replaced by the disastrous Peter Reid. That run equalled the club's all-time record set in 1963-64 and equalled in 1992-93 during the Bobby Gould era.

Despite good followings from Coventry, the crowds at the two away games were very poor with 4,404 at Hartlepool and 3,229 at Colchester's Weston Homes Stadium. The latter was the lowest league crowd to watch the Sky Blues this season and the lowest since Only 2,xxx watched City play Wimbledon at Selhurst Park in 2002-03. In fact it was the fourth lowest postwar crowd to watch a City league game:-

2,077 v Wimbledon (away) 2002-03

2,275 v Southport (away) 1958-59

2,607 v Halifax (away) 1961-62

3,229 v Colchester (away) 2012-13 

Following on from last week’s column here are City’s League Cup defeats to clubs of a lesser status since the competition began in 1960, especially requested by Keith Ballantyne. It includes two legged ties in which City lost one leg but progressed on aggregate:-
1961-62 v Workington (a) 0-3 (Div 4)                                                  
1966-67 v Brighton (h) 1-3 after 1-1 draw (Div 3)
1968-69 v Swindon T.(a) 0-3 after 2-2 draw (Div 3)
1971-72 v Burnley (h) 0-1 (Div 2)                                                        
1975-76 v Mansfield (a) 0-2 (Div 3)                                                  
1978-79 v Chester (a) 1-2 (Div 3)                                                        
1980-81 v West Ham 3-4 (2 legs) (Div 2)                                        
1982-83 v Burnley (h) 1-2 (Div 3)                                                        
1984-85 v Walsall 2-4 (2 legs)(Div 3)                         
1989-90 v Grimsby (a)1-3 (Div 4) City won 4-3 on agg.             
1990-91 v Sheff.Wed (h) 0-1 (Div 2)���                               
1991-92 v Rochdale (a) 0-1 (Div 4) City won 4-1 on agg.                
1992-93 v Scarborough (a) 0-3(Div 3) City lost 2-3 on agg.
1993-94 v Wycombe W.(a) 2-4 (Div 3) City won 5-4 on agg.        
1995-96 v Wolves (a) 1-2 (Div 1)                                                                                                           
1996-97 v Gillingham (h) 0-1 after 2-2 draw (Div 2)                                                                                                  
1998-99 v Luton (a) 0-2 (Div 2)                                                                                                           
1999-00 v Tranmere 4-6 on agg (Div 1)                                                                                                
2006-07 v Hereford (a) 1-3 (League 2)
2009-10 v Hartlepool (h) 0-1 aet (League 2)
2010-11 v Morecambe (a) 0-2 (League 2)
2011-12 v Bury (a) 1-3 (League 2)

The list is a shocking indictment of City’s League Cup record. The last few seasons have been bad but the 1990s were dreadful, especially when you consider the Sky Blues were a top-flight club for the whole decade but lost to lower league sides in nine out of 11 seasons.