Jim's column 26.1.2013

The fate of Coventry City's season could hinge on the next three games. The three home wins in 10 days have got the Sky Blues' faithful dreaming of a Wembley final and a possible play-off position. Someone asked me when City last won three home games in such a short period and I made a trawl through the records. In 1973, under Gordon Milne, they won three in 11 dayside early September. Then you have to go back to the early 1950s when there was always a glut of fixtures around Easter. In 1955 City won three home games in nine days but the best I could find was in 1954 when they won three Division Three South games in seven days. On Easter Tuesday (20^th April) City beat Southampton 2-1 (goals from Gordon Nutt & Don Dorman), the following Saturday Bristol City were beaten 3-0 (Dorman & Eddie Brown 2) and two days later, in the final game of the season Norwich were beaten 1-0 (Nutt).

The Sky Blues now have two tough away league games followed by the home leg of the JPT (or Football League Trophy) against Crewe Alexandra. Today they travel to play their long standing nemesis, Preston North End at Deepdale, a ground they have never won a league game in 15 visits going back to 1949. They did manage a famous FA Cup win in 1909, as a Southern League side, and a League Cup win in 2000 but have always failed in league games, even in the momentous 1966-67 promotion season when they slipped up 3-2.  Things have also never been easy at home against Proud Preston and City have failed to beat their bogey team in the last four league meetings at the Ricoh with this season's games in League and JPT marred by physical and verbal intimidation from Graham Westley and his team.

Then, on Friday night, the team go to Bramall Lane to face many people's pre-season favourites for promotion. The Blades have slipped up badly in their last two home games, losing to Hartlepool and Yeovil, but have still only lost four league games all season. City's record there is mixed but they have won only once in their last eight visits, two seasons ago when a Gary McSheffrey goal was sufficient to take the points. Nothing less than four points from the two games will be good enough to keep those play-off hopes alive.

Those three home wins have included a rare occurrence for the Sky Blues - injury-time winners. James Bailey's 94th minute effort against Oldham, followed Leon Clarke's 94^th minute winner in the JPT against Preston. In recent seasons City have been vulnerable in the added time - last season they lost in added time at Palace, Blackpool and at home to Burnley and Ipswich. They did however score injury-time winners against Leeds and Barnsley, the first since a Kevin Kyle late goal in a 2-1 win at QPR in 2007. Before that you have to go back to a Lee Hughes 92nd minute winner at home to Norwich in 2002. Suddenly however City have become masters at late goals; in addition to the two recent goals, Cody scored the winner at Oldham as the fourth official prepared the board and McGoldrick's third at Stevenage was in injury-time.

My appeal on behalf of Jot Shirley for a copy of the original Sky Blue Song was successful and Jot received an mp3 version of Ted Heath’s version from David Whitlock. Jot asked me to thank all those who responded. He also tells me he thinks he may have found a copy on CD as well. It appears on an album 'Decca Singles and Rarities volume 4'. Track 10 is 'Eaton Boating Song'. The title is mis-spelt but after listening to a 30-second sample on the Internet he thinks this is the track. He thinks the 'B' side on the original vinyl single was called 'Telegoon Toon' which also appears on the CD.

Jim's column 22.12.12

Coventry City's current away form is nothing short of staggering. After winning only one league game (and losing 16) on the road in the whole of last season, the Sky Blues have notched five this season and have won the last four on the bounce. That feat equals the club record set in 1963 and equalled in 1992 (under Bobby Gould) and again in 2004 (under Eric Black). City travel to Stevenage on Boxing Day looking to set an all-time club record of five.

In 1963 the run of four was the final game of the 1962-63, a 3-1 away win at the White City where QPR were playing that season, and the first three trips of the 1963-64 season, Notts County (3-0), Walsall (3-0) and Luton (3-1). The run came to an end at Hull (1-2) but City went on to win the Third Division championship that season.

In 1992 City won their first four away games in the newly created Premier League. A midweek win at Spurs (2-0) was followed by a (2-1) win at Wimbledon which took them to the top of the league. The next two wins came at Oldham (2-1) and Sheffield Wednesday (1-0). The run came to an end at Forest (1-1).

In 2004 Eric Black had taken over from Gary McAllister at Christmas and his recrafted side won four consecutive away games at Walsall (6-1), Nottingham Forest (1-0), Wimbledon (3-0) and Cardiff (1-0). The run came to an end at West Brom (0-3).

I mentioned the goals for tally last week and another four at Doncaster made it 37 for the season and seventeen in the last four league games - something they haven't done since 1952. Sixty years ago this month City had a great run up to Christmas winning three home games, Brighton (3-1), Crystal Palace (4-2) and Torquay (7-2) and Swindon away (3-2) for a tally of 17 goals. The best ever run of four games came in December 1933: on Christmas Day City won 4-1 at home to Cardiff and drew the return the following day 3-3 before winning 7-3 at Gillingham and defeating Crystal Palace 5-1 at home. 19 goals in four games and star scorer Clarrie Bourton was out injured! His deputy ‘Rasher’ Bacon netted 12 of the goals including a club record five at Gillingham.

Today is the 50th anniversary of the Sky Blue Song. On this day in 1962 the song, words by Jimmy Hill and John Camkin, to the Eton Boating song tune, was launched at the Colchester home game. Unfortunately fog enveloped the pitch and the game had to be abandoned at half-time with the Sky Blues leading 2-0. The song took off immediately and was sung with great gusto during the 3-0 victory over the league leaders Peterborough four days later. The song has been an ever present ever since and has been sung on most league grounds around the country not to mention Wembley, Trakia Plovdiv and Bayern Munich. The words have changed subtley over the years to reflect the division the club was in. it started off as Proud Posh or Cobblers, Oysters or anyone but for the most part of its life it has been 'Tottenham or Chelsea, United or anyone'. At today's game it is hoped that the CCFPA's Billy Bell will lead a rendition of the famous song by some of the players from the 1960s.

The tragic news of Peter Ndlovu's car crash last weekend shocked every City fan and the death of his brother Adam and a friend also in the car has stunned his family. The Former Players Association (CCFPA) have set up an appeal fund to raise money for some of his family members in Coventry to fly out to Zimbabwe to be with Peter at this sad time. The CCFPA have kicked off the fund by donating £500 and all fans are encouraged to make a donation to help the family. Details of how to donate can be found at www.ccfpa.co.uk and the proceeds of today's Christmas Memorabilia Stall will be going towards the fund. It is hoped that there will be bucket collections at the game today and in the G-Casino.

A Merry Christmas to all the readers and lets hope the City’s good form continues into 2013 and us long suffering fans finally get something to celebrate.