The Sky Blues kicked off the new season at the Stadium of Light last Sunday with a hard fought 1-1 draw thanks to a top drawer finish from last season's top scorer Viktor Gyokeres. Following the trend of last season the team conceded first and had to come from behind to get the result.

The game was manager Mark Robins's 300th game in charge of the club and only two men, Harry Storer and Gordon Milne, have managed Coventry City in more games. Storer, a legendary manager who took a virtually bankrupt club from the depths of Division Three South in 1931 to the verge of Division One in 1939 and, like Robins came back for a second spell in the post-war era, took charge in 549 games. Milne, who kept the club's head above perilous relegation waters before producing the most exciting team of the post-war period in 1977, managed for 440 games. It's worth comparing the three manager's win ratio in league games during their period in charge. Robins has a win ratio of 41.7% which is less than Storer's 44.4% but better than Milne's 32.5%. However that oversimplifies the comparison as Milne's games were all in the top flight whilst neither Storer or Robins managed the club higher than tier two. Jimmy Hill is the only other City manager who has been in charge for longer than one season who can beat Robins's win ratio – Hill's percentage was 43.9.

                               Harry Storer in 1949

The attendance at the Stadium of Light was a massive 40,851 and the largest crowd to watch a Coventry City league game (Wembley 2018 apart) since the club left the Premiership in 2001. The previous highest in the last 20 years was at Newcastle in February 2010 when 39,334 were present. The last 40,000 plus crowd in the Premiership was at Old Trafford in April 2001 when 67,637 watched John Hartson give City an early lead and the sides were level until nine minutes from time before Giggs and Scholes sealed a 4-2 win for United. Later that day United were champions after their nearest rivals Arsenal lost.

The Sky Blues fielded only two debutants on Sunday – loanee Jonathan Panzo started the game and Kasey Palmer came off the bench. What a change from a few years ago and when the club seemed to field a completely new team on the opening day and clearly demonstrates the stability within the playing staff that was missing just a few years ago. In 2017 there were seven debutants in the starting XI against Notts County and two more came off the bench. It was perhaps understandable given that the club had suffered relegation the previous campaign and the close season had given Robins the first chance to rebuild the squad after returning to the club. Similarly, in 2003, Gary McAllister had used eight debutants in the first game of the season, a League Cup game with Peterborough. Gary Mac had had a major clear out with the club in serious financial difficulties and brought in a glut of free transfers. The club record of 10 opening day debuts was set in 1926 when Scottish manager James Kerr decided to completely revamp his squad after a miserable campaign in Division Three North which saw them finish 16th. Kerr's gamble didn't pay off, the club finished one place higher in Division Three South and the majority of the players fell by the wayside before the season was over.

Older fans will remember the stable squads of the late 1960s and 70s. In the three seasons between 1967-69 there were no debutants on the opening day and very few throughout the 1970s. Of course there were no transfer windows in those days and clubs could carry on transfer activity throughout the whole season but turnover was very low.

Another indication of the stability of the club's playing staff is illustrated by the fact that for the first time in many years the club have five first team players who have made over 100 appearances for the team. The five are:

Dominic Hyam 190 games

Liam Kelly 147 games

Callum O'Hare 135 games

Kyle McFadzean 118 games

Fankaty Dabo 101 games

All these five players and several others are already legends of the club and how many of the players from the 2001-17 era can one call a legend?

I think you have to go back to 2001 to find as many players with more than 100 games for the club. As the first season outside the top flight in 34 years started there were six: Paul Williams, Richard Shaw, Paul Telfer, Marcus Hall, Gary Breen and Magnus Hedman. By the end of that season however all but Shaw had left the club.

Jim's column 12.8.2017

 55 years ago this month Coventry City kicked off the first full season under the management of Jimmy Hill. The former Fulham player had been appointed in succession to Billy Frith the previous November and after a busy summer in the transfer market his new team were unveiled at the opening game, like this season, in a home game with Notts County.

The new all Sky-Blue kit made its first appearance in a competitive game and a complete new forward line was on view. Outside-right Willie Humphries had played one game at the end of the 1961-62 season and was joined against Notts by Hubert Barr, Terry Bly, Jimmy Whitehouse and Bobby Laverick. In defence JH stuck with the players he had inherited with the exception of another new signing, John Sillett, at right-back. Like Humphries, 'Sill' had arrived as the previous season ended but had had little opportunity to show City fans his Division One pedigree. Arthur Lightening was in goal, Frank Austin at left-back and the renowned half-back line of Farmer-Curtis-Kearns made up the eleven.

Over 22,000 rolled up to Highfield Road, the biggest opening home crowd for seven years, and expectations were high on a hot sticky day. A nervous City managed 30 shots on target but couldn't make the breakthrough. Then with 14 minutes left debutant Barr smashed home a right-foot shot and seven minutes later the same player set up Bly's header for number two. A 2-0 home win was just reward for a solid performance.

Last Saturday the Sky Blues went one better, winning 3-0, again with two late goals. Let's hope that's a good omen as 1962-63 became the launchpad for the Sky Blue Revolution.

After failing to score more than two goals in any league game last season, few fans expected three on the opening day, let alone a hat-trick from Jodi Jones. Jones wasn't the most consistent of players last season and scored only one league goal but he certainly came out of the blocks well this term. Jodi is still only 19 and although he's a year older than the youngest City hat-trick scorer, Adam Armstrong (v Crewe in January 2016) he is the fifth youngest. Tommy English, Willie Carr and Ronnie Rees all scored before their 20th birthday and were younger than Jones.

Mark Robins' overhaul of City's squad this summer was reflected on Saturday with two stats. There were seven debutants in the starting line up and two more came off the bench during the game. The total of nine (ten if you include the returning Michael Doyle) is the most in the club's history, beating the eight used by Gary McAllister on the opening day in 2003 which was equalled in 2014 by Stephen Pressley at Bradford. Some people have pointed out that there were no Academy players in City's line-up on Saturday. This was the first time in over seven years that this has happened. The last time was in April 2010 in a 3-0 defeat at Reading. That day Marcus Hall, Shaun Jeffers and Jordan Clarke were all on the bench but none of them used. On Tuesday night the academy boys were out in force with six of them playing some part in the League Cup tie with Blackburn, including two more debutants, Warwick-born Kyle Finn and Cov kid Jordan Ponticelli.

A reminder that my latest book, Play Up Sky Blues, the story of the memorable 1966-67 season, is due to be published in October and is available for pre-order on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1785313320/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502741687&sr=8-1&keywords=jim+brown+coventry

If you have any questions regarding the club's history please contact me on clarriebourton@gmail.com and I will endeavour to answer them.

Jim's column 16.8.14

What a Coventry City debut at Bradford for new captain Reda Johnson. The French-born son of an American Beninese father & an Algerian mother not only became the first Coventry City central defender to score on his debut but then added a second goal to become only the seventh City player to score more than one goal on his first Football League appearance.

Reda was the 89^th City player to score on his competitive debut since City joined the League in 1919, and follows the following to score more than one: 

 

1928 Tommy Bowen v Norwich (h) 2

1954. Jack Lee v Crystal Palace (h) 2

1963.  George Hudson v Halifax (h) 3

1992.  Mick Quinn v Man City. (h)  2

1999.  Robbie Keane v Derby County (h)  2

2013.  Chris Maguire v MK Dons (a) 2

Sadly his goals were unable to help City avoid defeat at Valley Parade & it is now 55 years & 13 visits without a win there. The Sky Blues equalled another record last Saturday by taking the field with seven debutants and then using Shaun Miller to make it eight new men in total. That equalled the club's post-war record set in 2003 when Gary McAllister used seven debutant starters plus one new sub in a League Cup tie against Peterborough at Highfield Road. For the record those debutants eleven years ago were: Scott Shearer, Stephen Warnock, Patrick Suffo, Michael Doyle, Dele Adebola, Graham Barrett, Claus Jorgensen with Andy Morrell a substitute. City won 2-0 with goals from Adebola & Barrett.

On Wednesday evening the Sky Blues were dumped out of the League Cup by Cardiff City to extend City's poor recent record in the competition. Only once in the last six seasons have they progressed past the First Round. Cardiff joined Hartlepool, Morecambe, Bury & Leyton Orient as first round victors over City. The one exceptional season in the last six was two seasons ago when Andy Thorn managed the side to a victory at Dagenham & Redbridge before handing over to caretaker Richard Shaw who inspired an exciting win over Birmingham City -one of only three League Cup victories at the Ricoh. By the time the third round tie at Arsenal was played, Mark Robins was in charge & he oversaw a brave but heavy defeat at the Emirates. City's record in the League Cup might seem poor but I read this week that Ipswich have lost to lower league opposition in nine of the last 12 seasons.

As expected the attendance for the Cardiff game was the smallest for a League Cup tie involving the Sky Blues since the competition was inaugurated in 1960. The previous low was 1,904 at Dagenham two years ago & the previous home low was 5,519 for a second round game in October 1985 when Chester were the visitors to Highfield Road & were comprehensively defeated with Cyrille Regis grabbing five goals in a 7-2 victory.

Steve Menary wanted to know about City's pre-season friendlies in 1992-93 season. Under new manager Bobby Gould, the team played the following games:

20 July 1992 Morton (a) 2-2 Scorers; Bowen & Ndlovu.

22 July 1992 Clydebank (a) 1-0 Flynn

25 July 1992 Airdrie (a) 1-1 Sansom

8 August 1992 Brescia (at St Andrews) 1-0 D Smith (International tournament)

9 August 1992 Birmingham (at St Andrews 0-1 (International tournament)

Jim's column 25.8.2012

Coventry City’s first home game on Tuesday evening was watched by a half reasonable crowd of 12,621, a thousand or more than I was expecting. A good away following of over 1500 from Sheffield ensured that the crowd did not set an all-time Ricoh low but I suspect that unwelcome record (12,054, set last season v Crystal Palace) will be tested in the weeks to come, and possibly today when Bury are in town. The last time the Shakers travelled to Coventry was in the autumn of 1966 when goals from Bobby Gould, Ian Gibson and Dave Clements gave City a comfortable 3-0 win.

I noticed with interest City’s first two away attendances. At Dagenham & Redbridge for the League Cup game the gate was 1,904, the lowest ever crowd for a City game in a competition which City have competed in since 1960. City’s following in East London of 580 made up 30% of the crowd. The previous lowest was a second round tie at Rochdale in 1991 which attracted 2,288 spectators. It was also the lowest crowd to watch a City competitive game since 1,086 turned up at Highfield Road to watch a Full Members Cup game against Millwall in 1985. The pitifully low crowd was mainly due to the fact that there was nothing at stake as neither side could progress in the competition.

Then on Saturday the crowd for City’s first ever competitive game at Yeovil was 6,006 and, despite it being Yeovil’s biggest home crowd for almost two years, it was the lowest league crowd for a City game since December 2010 when there were 4,397 for the game at Scunthorpe. City’s away following of 2,136 was 35% of the crowd. I think we will see away crowds smaller than 6,000 as the season progresses.

Kevin Malaga’s debut on Tuesday night meant that nine Coventry players have made their debut in club colours in the first three games. It is not quite a club record – in 2003 manager Gary McAllister unveiled ten new players in the first three games. The ten, some of whom went on to become stars at the Ricoh, were: Scott Shearer, Stephen Warnock, Steve Staunton, Patrick Suffo, Graham Barrett, Michael Doyle, Andy Morrell, Dele Adebola, Yazid Mansouri and Claus Jorgensen.

Last week I mentioned that it was 50 years to the day that City had worn their sky blue kit for the first time in a competitive game and I received several comments. One reader, Kevin Ring, remembered the Notts County game well and wrote:

I can hardly believe it is 50 years. I recall the night before - I couldn't sleep for excitement (I was 11 years old). The 22,000+ crowd was more than double the average & that new forward line really caught the imagination. Curiously what I recall most is a chap at the top of the stairs at the side of the main stand (Swan Lane side) which led to the 'Paddy Ryan Fighting Fund' office shouting down to someone, 'the good times are back' as we went through the turnstiles. How right he was.

The chap at the top of the stairs was probably harking back to the 1930s when City had last had ‘good times’ and I think most City fans of today can relate to that. Let’s hope the good times are just round the corner for the new Sky Blues. If you want to read more memories of that golden season 50 years ago I am serialising it this season in the club programme.

Knowl who runs the excellent GMK website asked me to list Coventry City’s leading league goalscorers over the last ten years in the championship. Here it is:

1. Gary McSheffrey 60
2. Stern John  26
3. Clinton Morrison 21
4. Michael Doyle 20
5= Leon Best 19
5= Dele Adebola 19
7 Lukas Jutkiewicz 18
8= Freddy Eastwood 17
8= Andy Morrell 17
10 Michael Mifsud 16

Jim's column 18.8.12

Today marks the start of Coventry City’s first league campaign in the third flight of English football for 49 years at Yeovil’s Huish Park. After a mixed pre-season City fans’ feelings are mixed with some confident that Andy Thorn’s summer transfer dealings can spark a successful campaign whilst others still bemoan the lack of investment from SISU and fear that the club’s fortunes have not yet reached their nadir.

Looking at the statistics of previous relegated teams from the Championship, the omens for an immediate return to the second tier don’t look great. Over the previous ten seasons only six of thirty clubs relegated from tier two have bounced back at the first attempt. Peterborough (in 2010-11), Norwich (2009-10), Leicester and Scunthorpe (2008-09). Brighton (2003-04) and Crewe (2002-03). In the last five seasons big clubs (by League 1 standards) such as Leeds United, Southampton, Charlton Athletic and Sheffield Wednesday have returned to the higher division but only after two or three seasons. Other clubs, such as Luton Town and Plymouth Argyle, have virtually sunk without trace, primarily because of financial difficulties. It could be argued that the Sky Blues have more in common with the Lutons and Plymouths than the aforementioned big clubs. Unlike relegation from the Premier League there are no parachute payments when you drop out of the Championship to make relegation a relatively soft landing and give a big advantage over the rest of the field..

Thorn’s transfer wheelings and dealings have drastically changed the face of the team with big names Keogh, Cranie, Eastwood and Clingan all now ex-players and a mixed bag of newcomers including two French defenders, a multi-capped Irish international (Kilbane), a refugee from Rangers (Fleck) and two interesting loanees (Brown and Ball). As I write this before the Dagenham game it would seem that, judging from the final friendlies, we may have at least five or six league debutants at Yeovil today.

The modern day record for most CCFC debutants was set in 2008-09 when six players made their first start in a City shirt: Keiren Westwood, Stephen Wright, Guillaume Beuzelin, Freddie Eastwood, Clinton Morrison and Aron Gunnarsson – all now ex-players.  The vast turnover in City’s personnel can also be seen from looking at the team put out by Chris Coleman on the opening day in 2009-10. In a 2-1 home victory over Ipswich City lined up as follows: Westwood: Osbourne, Van Aanholt, Clingan, Wright, Turner, Bell, Gunnarsson, Morrison, Best, McIndoe. Today only David Bell is still at the club and sadly is on the injury list again.

Attendances at the first two home games this week will be interesting. The all-time Ricoh low of 12,054 will be severely tested, especially on Tuesday night when Sheffield United are in town. They may be one of the big clubs in this division but sadly midweek games at the start of the season, when many fans are still on holiday, are notoriously poor. With less than 6,000 season tickets sold I think the attendance will be under 12,000.

That is a far cry from the attendance at Highfield Road 50 years ago today. A crowd of 22,832 watched the team play Notts County in their first competitive game in their brand new sky blue kit. Jimmy Hill paraded his all new five man forward line as the Sky Blues ran out 2-0 winners with goals from Terry Bly and Hubert Barr. Golden memories!