Gerry Baker RIP

On Saturday evening I received the sad news that former Coventry City striker Gerry Baker had passed away earlier that day, aged 75. Signed by by Noel Cantwell from Ipswich in 1967 Gerry played a key role in keeping the Sky Blues in Division 1 in their inaugural season in the top flight. Between 1967-69 Gerry made 34 league & cup appearances for the club before joining Southern League Margate. He won several US international caps by virtue of being born in New York and later played for Nuneaton Borough.

A full obituary will appear in next week 's column

Jim's column 24.8.13

                                                 The 1908-09 team with Buckle far right on front row

This summer I have had contact with American Tom Ferner who it turns out is the Great, Great Grandson of former Coventry City player Harry Buckle. Buckle was a star of Coventry City for three seasons between 1908 and 1911. His arrival coincided with the club's move up from the Birmingham League to the Southern League in 1908. He was a feared left winger having won two Irish international caps and had previously played for Sunderland (in Division 1), Portsmouth and Bristol Rovers before moving to Highfield Road.

The club's directors appointed him as player-manager for the 1909-10 season and that campaign he helped guide the club to the FA Cup quarter finals defeating First Division Preston & Nottingham Forest before succumbing to Everton in front of a record 19,000 crowd at Highfield Road. This was a monumental achievement for a Southern League team & the proceeds of the run enabled the club to build a new grandstand (later superceded by the Sky Blue Stand in 1964).

Buckle was the club’s top marksman in his first two seasons and  contributed 44 goals in his 126 league and cup appearances before leaving Highfield Road In the summer 1911. Harry returned to his native Belfast, working (unusually for a  Catholic at the time) in the Harland & Wolff shipyards and played for Belfast Celtic, then Glenavon at the outbreak of World War 1 and in 1917 became secretary-manager of Belfast United as well as playing for them. He finished his footballing career from 1922-26 at Fordsons in Cork and won an Irish Cup Winners medal with them aged 45 in 1926 as player- manager before retiring in 1927!

Tom Ferner and his family knew little of their 'famous' relative & were grateful to learn of his football career in Coventry. Tom joined the Former Players Association as an Associate member & is hoping to get to the UK at some future date to learn more about his forefather's heritage.

Brunton Park, Carlisle was the scene of a convincing Sky Blues victory last Saturday with four goals scored without reply. For the second game running the team led 3-0 at half time a feat not achieved by a City team since 2007. This time City's defence kept their cool & a clean sheet to deservedly came back down the M6 with three points. It was a nice revenge for last season's results against the Cumbrians who under former Coventry youth team player Greg Abbott were the only side to do the double over the Sky Blues during the reign of Mark Robins. At half-time the side looked capable of emulating the City side of 1959 who won 6-1 at Brunton Park, a record post-war away win subsequently equalled in 2002 at Walsall.

One historical statistic that has passed me by this season was that in the games at Crawley & Leyton Orient the Sky Blues took the field with a record five Coventry-born players. Cyrus Christie, Jordan Clarke, Jordan Willis, Callum Wilson & Conor Thomas are all 'Covkids' and topped the record of four set up last season. I'm struggling to think of any more 'Covkids' who might breakthrough to the first team but I believe Lewis Rankin is one. The number of home-grown players coming through to the first team is a great credit to Gregor Rioch & his staff at the club's academy.

Last week's piece about John Galley prompted Graeme Baldwin to email me with his memories of the game against Rotherham at Christmas 1966. He was stood in the old Covered End that day & remembers the police having to save the pitch-invading City fan from a real thumping by John Galley. Graeme also remembers travelling to Rotherham a couple of days later to watch the return and getting beaten up by some Rotherham fans near the railway station.

I missed one high-scoring game from the last 50 years – the 1-8 home defeat in the League Cup to Leicester City in 1964. Chris Turner remembers it well as it was the only ever time he left Highfield Road before the end of a game. The final humiliation he recalls was a 30 yard goal from Leicester's full-back Richie Norman in front of the main stand. Richie, of course was manager at Nuneaton Borough after his playing days. Steve Thompson remembers it well too & thought the heavy defeat signalled the end of goalkeeper Bob Wesson's City career. In fact Bob was standing in that night for the cup-tied Bill Glazier who had recently been signed for a world record fee for a goalkeeper of £35,000. Wesson came back into the first team some five months later after Glazier broke a leg & played a further 40 odd first team games. The main cause for the heavy defeat to Leicester was the loss through injury of captain George Curtis. George was injured early in the game & was taken off when the score was 3-0 just before half-time. It was the season before the introduction of substitutes & City laboured on with 10 men & were no match for their First Division opponents.

Jim's column 17.8.13

Coventry City's first game outside of the city boundaries took place at Northampton Town's Sixfields Stadium last Sunday and what a goal feast the small band of around 1,000 City fans witnessed. 3-0 ahead at half-time for the first time in over six years, Steven Pressley's young team ran out 5-4 winners over relegated Bristol City. 

I have been bombarded with questions all week about other high scoring games involving the Sky Blues and have compiled a list of all those games where there were eight or more goals in the last fifty years:

1963-64 City 8 Shrewsbury 1

1963-64 QPR 3 City 6

1964-65 City 5 Ipswich 3

1964-65 City 1 Leicester 8 (League Cup)

1964-65 City 3 Rotherham 5

1964-65 City 5 Newcastle 4

1974-75 Middlesbrough 4 City 4

1977-78 City 5 Norwich 4

1981-82 Southampton 5 City 5

1983-84 Southampton 8 City 2

1985-86 City 7 Chester 2 (League Cup)

1985-86 City 4 Birmingham 4

1990-91 City 5 Nottm Forest 4 (League Cup)

2002-03 City 8 Rushden & Diamonds 0 (League Cup)

2004-05 City 6 Derby 2

It was the first 5-4 scoreline since the famous victory over Brian Clough's Nottingham Forest in November 1990 when City led 4-0 before half-time only to be pegged back by a ten-minute Nigel Clough hat-trick before Steve Livingstone grabbed the winner. It was only the fourth time in the club's history that they have won 5-4 with the others coming in 1977 (the famous Christmas game when only a late Jim Blyth penalty save avoided a 5-5 draw with Norwich), 1965 (City led top of the table Newcastle 5-1, only to hang on to win) and 1963 (George Hudson netting a hat-trick on his debut). City have only once been on the receiving end of a 5-4 scoreline, at Southampton in 1950.

As expected the crowd at Sixfields was pitifully low and boosted by over 1000 Bristol City fans. the official attendance of 2,204 was just above the lowest home league crowd in the club's history, 2,059, set in February 1928 for a Monday afternoon 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace. A couple of readers pointed out that according to the Breedon Complete Record book published in 1991 there was a crowd of 1,660 v Hartlepools United in 1926. However there has subsequently been more research and the official league attendance records confirm the gate at this game was actually 4,744. My feeling is that the all-time low crowd will be broken before too long at Sixfields unless a good number of City fans have a change of heart and travel to Northampton.

I have a few reader's queries to cover over the coming weeks and will start with one from Dean Nelson who remembers Rotherham's John Galley being hit by a City fan in 1966 and seemed to think there was another instance. Galley, normally a centre-forward who had tormented City's defence (and scored a hat-trick on his Millers' debut) in the aforementioned 3-5 game in 1964, had taken over the 'keeper's jersey in the Christmas game at Highfield Road after regular 'keeper Alan Hill had broken his finger trying to stop a goal-bound Bobby Gould shot. Galley upset the City fans behind the old Covered End & one angry fan climbed over the wall & attacked Galley. Police dragged the culprit away & removed him from the ground but Galley was seen as the villain of the piece by the home supporters. City ran out 4-2 winners. If anyone can recall another incident where a fan attacked a visiting goalkeeper please let me know.

Jim's column 10.8.13

Saturday's opening day defeat at Crawley Town was unusual in that it was the first time Coventry City have lost an away game on the opening day of the season since 1995. Then Ron Atkinson's side, including big money signings Paul Williams, Paul Telfer & John Salako, lost 0-3 at St James' Park, Newcastle. In the seventeen intervening seasons the Sky Blues had only played away on four occasions and never lost:

2001 won 2-0 at Stockport

2005 drew 1-1 at Norwich

2007 won 4-1 at Barnsley

2012 drew 1-1 at Yeovil

The club's record on the first day of the league season has generally been good. Of the thirteen home games since 1995 only four have been lost:

1996 lost 0-3 to Nottm Forest

1999 lost 0-1 to Southampton

2000 lost 1-3 to Middlesbrough

2011 lost 0-1 to Leicester

Aaron Phillips' appearance as a substitute at Crawley meant he became the 885th player to wear the shirt in competitive football since the club joined the League in 1919. More importantly he became only the fifth City player to follow his father into the first team. His father, David, was a member of the 1987 FA Cup winning side and made 123 appearances for the club between his arrival from Manchester City in 1986 and his move to Norwich three years later. Let's hope it is the start of a long and successful career with the Sky Blues.

The other four father & sons to play for the club are:

Ted and Dudley Roberts

Bobby and Jonathan Gould

Tony and Mark Hateley

Gordon and Gavin Strachan

Talking of opening day games Keith Ballantyne emailed asking to be reminded of a postponed City game in London in the late 1980s. He remembers catching a train to London and being met by City fans telling him the game had been called off. The game in question was at Tottenham's White Hart Lane in August 1988 and the game was called off on the Saturday morning because the local authority would not issue a safety certificate to Spurs' new East Stand.  City also had an opening day game at Watford postponed in 2003 after Watford's on-loan striker Jimmy Davis was killed in a car crash on the M40 earlier that day. The Watford board called the game off in mid morning citing 'tragic circumstances' but it was several hours before the news of Davis' death were released.

For those City fans not travelling to Northampton tomorrow (and there will be many) I urge you to support the charity game at the Ricoh Arena. In a game arranged by the Former Players Association, supported by the Sky Blue Trust & the Diamond Club, a Coventry City Legends XI take on a Midlands all stars XI, kick off 2pm. The game, to celebrate the 130^th anniversary of the formation of Singers FC, will raise money for various charities including the Acorns Children's Hospice. As I write this several City former players have pledged their services including Noel Whelan, Darren Huckerby, Dave Bennett & Claus Jorgensen. It promises to be a fun afternoon. More details can be found at www.ccfpa.co.uk

Meanwhile at Sixfields Stadium the Sky Blues take on Bristol City. A very small crowd is expected & many people have asked me this week what is the lowest crowd for a City league game. The record low was set in February 1928 when 2,059 attended a Monday afternoon game against Crystal Palace in a Third Division South fixture. The game ended in a 2-2 draw. There was a smaller crowd for a competitive game at Highfield Road – in October 1985 1,086 turned up for a meaningless Full Members Cup group game against Millwall. Earlier results meant that neither club could progress in the competition but the game went ahead & ended 1-1.

Jim's column 3.8.13

Like most Coventry City fans I am frustrated at the current state of the club I love and fearful for its future. At the end of last season I think I realised that there wasn't going to be quick solution to the deep-lying issues between the main protagonists & vowed not to spend a lot of time worrying about something I could do little about. I refused to let it ruin my summer & proceeded to reduce my browsing of websites and social media to ensure my blood pressure stayed at sensible levels.

I had a feeling that the ACL/SISU disagreement would not be resolved - and we all know it's not just about the rent - and that the club would not be playing at the Ricoh this season, but it was still a shock to hear we would be playing at Northampton. A lot of supporters have indicated they will not watch the club outside Coventry but many have said they will travel. The decision is a difficult one for fans but also a personal one and whatever fans decide to do should be respected by those with an opposite opinion. Once I have returned from my holidays I will be watching games at Sixfields - I support the team irrespective who the owners are & am not going to desert my team after 51 years of support. Sadly some good friends have taken the opposite view & I will greatly miss their company this season.

Therefore barring a late change of hearts by the warring parties, next Sunday will see the first ever Coventry City 'home' game at Sixfields Stadium when relegated Bristol City are the visitors. Before then there are two away games, Today City travel for only the second time to Crawley Town before a League Cup trip to London's East End for the second season running. It was Dagenham & Redbridge last season and Leyton Orient this season. 

Orient's Brisbane Road holds happy Cup memories for the Sky Blues and older fans will remember the League Cup victory in 1965 and the FA Cup third round victory in 1973. In the former, a second round tie, City beat their fellow Second Division opponents 3-0 with goals from George Hudson, Ernie Machin & Alan Harris (his only ever goal for the club). Eight years later Gordon Milne's side were a division above the Os & ran out 4-1 winners with a scintillating attacking display. The goals came from Brian Alderson (2), Willie Carr and Tommy Hutchison, watched by a crowd of 12,272.

This season's kick off in the Football League is the earliest in the League's history and a full two weeks earlier than last year. It's a far cry from the arrangements 100 years ago when football had a gentleman's agreement with the cricket authorities not to start league games until September. Even until 1947 the league didn't kick off until the last Saturday in August. I understand the clubs want less midweek games, because they are losing money due to televised Champions League games, and more Saturday games. Starting the new campaign on the first weekend of August to my way of thinking, crazy. With most schools only having broken up ten days ago many supporters with school-age children will still be on their holidays & unable to attend.

City will face some different opponents this season with Wolves, Peterborough & Bristol City coming down from the Championship & Rotherham, Gillingham, Port Vale & Bradford City coming up from League Two. All of these clubs with the exception of Port Vale have met the Sky Blues in the seasons since relegation from the Premiership in 2001. Vale have not been on City's league fixture list since 1963-64 when the clubs met home and away on consecutive days at Easter 1964, both games ending 1-1. City were stuttering towards the finish line in the Third Division championship race and over 29,000 were at Highfield Road on a Tuesday evening. City's post-war record at Vale Park is poor with only one win, and one draw in six visits to Burslem. Again older fans will remember the titanic tussles in 1958-59 when both clubs were pushing from promotion from Division Four. The fixtures attracted massive crowds - 28,000 at Highfield Road and 20,000 at Vale Park, with City winning 1-0 at home and losing 0-3 away.

Geoff Strong 1937-2013 RIP

The former Coventry City defender Geoff Strong died on 17 June 2013 after a long battle with Alzheimer's Disease. Geoff was one of the country's top players in the 1960s and but for his versatility in numerous positions he would have probably won international honours. His time at Coventry was quite brief - from 1970-72 - but his experience & defensive ability was instrumental in the Sky Blues' outstanding defensive record in 1970-71.

Born in Kirkheaton in Northumberland in 1937, Geoff's first club was Stanley United where his goalscoring ability was spotted by Arsenal. National service delayed his league debut until he was 23 years old but over four years he was a regular goal scorer in an unimpressive Gunners side. In 1963-64 he scored 31 goals and formed a formidable partnership with Joe Baker, the pair netting 62 goals between them.

Arsenal were going through a period of transition and were not in the hunt for honours. Geoff was ambitious and in 1964 sought a transfer. Liverpool manager Bill Shankly paid £40,000 to take him to Anfield and after just 16 appearances in a red shirt Geoff, deputising in midfield for the injured Gordon Milne, won an FA Cup winners' medal as Liverpool beat Leeds United 2-1 at Wembley.

A year later Geoff was a member of the League Championship winning side but missed out on a European Cup Winners Cup final through injury sustained in the semifinal against Celtic when, despite limping with his injury, he scored a stunning headed goal to win the tie.

Over six seasons at Anfield he played almost 200 games and in virtually every position before finally settling at left back. In 1970 after a shock FA Cup defeat to Watford Shankly rang the changes & Strong found himself out of favour. Noel Cantwell signed him for a £30,000 fee as a replacement for the injured Roy Barry who was expected to miss most of the season following his broken leg.

Strong made an inauspicious debut in central defence at Nottingham Forest in a 0-2 defeat but quickly developed a good understanding with Jeff Blockley. City had qualified for Europe by virtue of finishing in sixth place the previous season & it was always going to be difficult to improve on that achievement. The defence however was the strong part of the team, conceding just 38 league goals, a club record which still stands. Geoff played 40 games that season including three of the club's European games and the 6-1 defeat to Bayern Munich. However after the disastrous FA Cup defeat at Rochdale he was one of a number of senior players who  were dropped by Cantwell. He later returned to the side at left-back.

In 1971-72 with Roy Barry fit again & young defenders Bobby Parker & Jimmy Holmes emerging, Geoff's first team opportunities were limited & his solitary appearance was in a 0-4 defeat at Manchester City. At the end of 1971-72, aged 35, he decided to retire.

Post-football he became a successful businessman from his base in Southport, running a hotel furnishing business & later co-owning a pub with his former Liverpool team-mate Ian Callaghan.

As Alzheimer's took its toll in recent years Geoff was in a care home in Southport but still managed the occasional trip to Anfield. In a poll to find 100 players who shook the Kop, Geoff was voted in at number 98.

2012-13 Season review

Off the field shenanigans have taken the spotlight for most of the 2012-13 season & have blurred what by Coventry City standards has been a good season. Five managers have been at the helm (two of them caretakers) and 37 players have worn the shirt but the results have been better and there have been more highs than lows.

The home form has been poor but the victories over Birmingham, Walsall & Preston (JPT) were as exciting as we have had in the last five years and the hard won victories over the two promoted sides showed what the team were capable of. Sadly there were too many defeats against lower sides & the disappointment of the Crewe JPT game to swallow.

If you are a travelling supporter then it has been the best season ever with a record-breaking 11 league victories & some amazing highs at Milton Keynes, Hartlepool & Doncaster not forgetting historic trips to Arsenal & Spurs.

Games: Coventry City played 58 competitive games this season, 46 league, 3 FA Cup, 3 League Cup & 6 Johnstone’s Paint Trophy. This is the most by any City side in history beating the 57 games played in 1962-63. 30 home games was also a record.

Points: The Sky Blues gathered 65 points (reduced to 55 by the 10 points deduction for going into administration) during the season. This equalled the second highest total by a City team since three points for a win was introduced – the highest being 66 in 2001-02.

Home Form: The home record was won 7, drew 7, lost 9 – worse than last season’s record. The total of 28 points was the lowest at home since 2002-03 (24 points) but some way off the all-time low of 19 set in the 2001 relegation season. The goals scored (29) and conceded (27) were almost identical to 2011-12 (28-26)  – only the third positive home goal difference since 2006-07. Only once did the team win two home games running.

Away Form: The away form was nothing short of staggering with 11 away wins a club record, topping the 10 wins in 1969-70. 37 points was also a new club record. The eight defeats (from 23 games) was the lowest since 1992-93 when Bobby Gould’s side lost six from 21. The away goal difference (37-32) was the first positive difference since 2003-04 and only the sixth time in 87 seasons of league football. Between 27 October & 29 December the team won six consecutive away league games (seven if you include the JPT win at York), beating the club record of four.

Wins: City won eighteen league games in total – the third highest total in the last 45 years, topped only by 2001-02 (20) and 1969-70 (19).

Biggest win:  The biggest win of the season was the 5-0 league win at Hartlepool in November. It 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. Three weeks later they scored five again in beating Walsall at home (5-1).

Biggest defeat: The 0-4 Easter Monday defeat at Walsall was the biggest league defeat but topped by the 1-6 loss at Arsenal in the League Cup.

Goals: The goals total of 66 was the third highest by a City team since the club came out of the old Division Two in 1967, only 1977-78 (75) and 2003-04 (67) were better. At one stage the Sky Blues topped the League One scoring list but eventually finished fourth highest. They did however top the away scorers with 37. Between September & the end of the year the team scored in 24 consecutive league & cup games, the best such run since 1966-67.

Final position: The final position of 15th was the lowest finishing position since 1960-61 when the Bantams finished 15^th in the old Division Three under Billy Frith. It means that the Sky Blues have finished in the top ten only once in the twelve seasons since they left the Premiership in 2001.  They are the only club, bar long-serving Premiership clubs and recent promotees from the Conference, not to have been promoted or reached the play-offs since the play-offs were introduced in 1987 nor to finish in the top six of a division.  But for the points deduction a final position of 12^th would have been achieved.

Leading scorers: For the first time since 2005-06 the Sky Blues had more than one player reach double figures in league games. David McGoldrick finished as top league scorer with 16 (in 22 games) followed by Carl Baker with 12 (in 43 games). McGoldrick’s league total was the best by a Coventry player since 1997-98 when Dion Dublin scored 18 to finish joint top scorer in the Premiership. If you add in Cup games McGoldrick netted 18 and Baker 15 with Leon Clarke netting 10 in all games. McGoldrick’s goal ratio (0.72 goals per game) was only slightly better than Clarke’s (0.62), the best by a City striker since George Hudson in 1963-64 (0.77) but some way from Clarrie Bourton’s record set in 1931-32 (1.19). McGoldrick did smash one of Clarrie’s records however, by netting in seven consecutive away league games (all victories). Leon Clarke later netted in five consecutive away games (six, if you count Cup games). Clarke, who had played for Scunthorpe before joining the Sky Blues in January, finished as the division’s second top scorer with 19 goals in 26 league games and but for his injury would surely have finished top. Clarke also became the first player to score for and against the Sky Blues in the same season since Dion Dublin in 1998-99 (not including own goals).

Doubles: City achieved the double over four sides including the two promoted sides Doncaster & Bournemouth plus Hartlepool & Oldham – the highest number since 2001-02 (5). On the other hand three sides did the double over City (Crewe, Carlisle & Shrewsbury) – the lowest number since 2005-06.

Appearances: Joe Murphy started every league game bar the final game at Notts County, the first league game he had missed in two full seasons. Carl Baker was involved in 43 league games and was missing only through injury & suspension. Two players failed to start a league game but made substitute appearances (Jordan Willis & Roy O’Donovan).

Players used:  Thirty-seven players were used in league and cup games. Of the 37, 22 players made their debuts during the season, nine of them loan players and 9 of them came from the club’s academy. In addition to the 37 players used, three more, Lee Burge, Louis Garner and Leon Lobjoit sat on the bench as substitutes but were not used.

Records: Gary McSheffrey reached 281 appearances by the end of the season and is now in 21^st equal place in the all-time chart, level with Cyrille Regis and close behind players such as Brian Hill (286), Ernie Machin (289) & Micky Gynn (291). McSheffrey also crept up to 9^th place in the club’s all-time goalscorers list having now scored 72 goals for the club. He is no level with & just behind George Hudson (75) in the all-time scorers chart. With Gary’s future at the club seemingly in the balance will he ever add to those outstanding figures?

Substitutes: John Fleck made the most substitute appearances (17 league & cup) whilst Gary McSheffrey was the most substituted player. Gary was ‘pulled’ on 21 occasions in 26 league starts, a new record for the club. Seven substitutes came off the bench and scored: Fleck (at Shrewsbury), Ball (at Arsenal), McDonald (at Oldham), Hussey (at York), Barton (at Hartlepool), Wilson (Colchester), Elliott (Oldham). My records are incomplete but I believe this is a club record.

Average attendance: Home 10,938 (2011-12 15,121), down 27%. Away 6,895 (2011-12 17,619), down 61%. The home average attendance was the lowest since the 1982-83 season when the average was 10,552. In the league City’s tremendous away following, no doubt boosted by new grounds and the away form, actually increased from around 900 per game to almost 1200 (the second highest in the division) with almost 5,000 travelling to Milton Keynes. In Cup games too 8,000 City fans travelled to Arsenal and 5,000 to Spurs.

Highest home attendance: The biggest league crowd was 15,185 for the visit of Shrewsbury Town on New Years Day. In February 31,054 watched the JPT Area Final game v Crewe – the second largest crowd to watch the Sky Blues at the Ricoh.

Lowest home attendance: Only 8,862 attended the midweek visit of Crawley in November – the lowest league crowd at the Ricoh and the lowest City home league gate since March 1992 when 8,454 went through the Highfield Road turnstiles for the visit of Norwich. The Scunthorpe home game four days later attracted 9,892 – the lowest for a Saturday home game since 1993. Cup games attracted the lowest crowds however with only 5,437 at the Burton Albion JPT game, the lowest crowd at a City home game since 1985, and two FA Cup crowds under 7,000 with the 6,339 at the Morecambe second round tie the lowest home crowd in the competition since 1908.

Highest away attendance: The biggest away league crowd was at Bramall Lane for the Friday night game in February – 17,511. A massive 58,351 were at the Emirates for the League Cup game – the largest crowd to watch City since the Old Trafford League Cup game in 2007.

Lowest away attendance: Four crowds under 4,000 watched City’s league games with the smallest at Colchester for the midweek game in November – 3,229. This was the smallest crowd to watch City in a league game since 2002 when 2,077 watched them play Wimbledon at Selhurst Park and the fourth lowest post-war away crowd. At Dagenham & Redbridge in the League Cup only 1,904 were present and 580 of them came from Coventry. It was the lowest crowd to watch the Sky Blues in the competition.

Won from behind: (6) City had failed to come from behind to win for almost three years but broke that record by beating Birmingham in the League Cup second round. Then they achieved the feat three times in December (Walsall (h), Stevenage (a) & MK Dons (a)), once in January (Preston (h) JPT) and finally at Scunthorpe in March. On three occasions they did concede the first goal but won a point. At MK Dons City came from behind twice to win – for the first time since 1997.

Lost from in front: (5)  Four at home: Stevenage, Scunthorpe, Crewe & Swindon, & Brentford away.   In a further ten games City took the lead only to be pegged back for draws. In total 33 points were lost from leading positions.

Best run: The Sky Blues went unbeaten in ten league & cup games in November & December, the best run since 2002 when under Gary McAllister the team went 10 unbeaten in all games.

Worst run: City started the season badly and failed to win any of their first eight league games. Added to the six without a win at the end of 2011-12 meant a run of 14 league games without a win – the worst since the spring of 2003 when McAllister’s mixture of kids and loanees went 16 without a win.

Hat-tricks: (0) No City player scored a hat-trick but McGoldrick scored five braces (four in the league) with Carl Baker twice scoring two in a game.

Opposing hat-tricks: (0) None. Several players scored two in a game including Leon Clarke (Scunthorpe), Clint Dempsey (Tottenham) & Theo Walcott (Arsenal). Brentford’s Jamie Forrester netted twice at Griffin Park & once at the Ricoh.

Own goals: For City: (3) Robertson (Preston h), Maguire (Sheff United JPT) & Ellis (Crewe JPT).

Own goals: By City: (1) Blair Adams (Walsall h)

Penalties: For City: (6) Kilbane, Fleck, McGoldrick, Baker (2) & McSheffrey scored from the spot. One penalty was missed: McSheffrey (Portsmouth a) 

Penalties: Against City: (4) Healy (Bury h), Richards (Shrewsbury a), Cadamarteri (Carlisle h), Clarke (Scunthorpe h), Akins (Stevenage a), Westcarr (Walsall a). One penalty was missed when Joe Murphy saved Arsenal’s Oliver Giroud’s effort in the League Cup game.

Fastest Goal scored: 2 minutes: Frank Moussa scored in the 2^nd minute in the home game with Swindon in March.

Fastest Goal conceded: 2 minutes: Carlisle’s Matty Robson in the game at Brunton Park in January.

Red cards: Coventry: (1): Jordan Stewart at Walsall for two yellow cards. This is the lowest number of sending-offs since 1993-94 season. City last went through a whole season without a red card in 1986-87 (FA Cup winning season).

Red cards: Opponents: (1) Butler (Walsall h). This is the lowest figure since 1996-97 when no opponents were sent off.

Bookings: Most yellow cards award went to Jennings (7) followed closely by McSheffrey (6) & Baker (5).

Television: The Sky Blues appeared live on television twice – the home league game against Stevenage & the JPT area semi final at home to Preston.

New Grounds: City played at seven grounds for the first time in competitive games. It was the first ever visits to Yeovil, Stevenage, MK Dons, Crawley & Dagenham & Redbridge. In addition they visited the new grounds of Shrewsbury & Colchester.

Internationals: For the first time since the 1989-90 season Coventry City had no full internationals.

Man of the Match: Frank Moussa won the most Andy Turner Man of the Match awards. The leading contenders were: Moussa 9, Baker 7, McGoldrick & Jennings 6.

With many thanks to Paul O’Connor.