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 24.3.12

                           Terry Yorath receiving his 200th member shirt from Jim Brown

Finally the Sky Blues ended their wretched run of away defeats stretching back to the end of October and narrowly avoiding the club’s all-time record, set in 1926 (ten in 1925-26 and one in 1926-27). The 0-0 draw at Watford’s Vicarage Road was the first away point since the  1-1 draw at Doncaster and the first clean sheet away from home of the season. The run of ten defeats did however equal the club’s worst run in a season set in 1925-26 and equalled in 1929-30.

Whilst most City fans would have taken a point at 3pm on Saturday, Cody McDonald’s late misses and Nathan Cameron’s disallowed effort meant that many went home feeling it was two points dropped. It somehow felt different on Wesdnesday night at Cardiff when Ollie Norwood’s late, late effort made it seem like a victory. It was the first time City have scored more than one goal in an away game and the first time they have come from behind twice to get a point since April 2005. Wolves were the visitors to Highfield Road and led twice before a late Stern John goal made it 2-2.

What a topsy-turvy division this is. On Tuesday night this point was illustrated by two results that were barely believable. Pompey’s 4-1 win over Blues was a big enough shock but Forest scoring seven at Elland Road was the shock score of the season. In 80 minutes at Leeds, Forest scored as many goals as the Sky Blues had managed in 18 games on their travels. If Neil Warnock hadn’t have been just appointed he would have been sacked on Wednesday morning!

7-3 sounds more like a Rugby score than a football result and I checked the record books for previous instances of that scoreline. Since the League started in 1888 only 14 teams have won away by that score, the last time being in 1993-94 when Colchester won at Darlington. City are one of the select 14. In December 1933 at Gillingham with Clarrie Bourton injured his replacement Arthur ‘Rasher’ Bacon netted five goals in City’s 7-3 victory. Bacon had only made his debut earlier that month and was playing only his sixth first team game. He had failed to score in his first two games then netted five in next three games before the trip to Gillingham. A week after his amazing feat he netted another four goals as Crystal Palace were defeated 5-1making it fourteen goals in five games! Once the great Clarrie was fit again Bacon went back to the reserves and played just two more league games over the next two seasons. Bacon and Bourton remain the only City players ever to score five goals in a League game (Cyrille Regis did it in a League Cup tie) but prior to joining City Arthur had scored six in a game for Reading, a club record that still stands today.

Today is the sixth annual Coventry City Legends Day at The Ricoh Arena and over 50 former players will be attending. Please give the club’s legends a great reception when they do their customary half-time parade.

We have managed to keep the mystery guest a secret and he will be unveiled during the half-time parade. He is the Association’s 200^th member and in his playing days was a very popular player in a relatively successful period.(it was Terry Yorath)

All supporters are invited to the G-Casino after the match where the Legends will be signing autographs and chatting with fans, with Billy Bell introducing them on stage in Lady Gs. It promises to be a memorable day.