Jim's column 13.4.2019

I thought I would catch up with some of the outstanding questions I have had from readers in recent months.

First, Andy Webster, a keen collector of Coventry City programmes, wanted to know what type of programme the club issued in 1985-86 season for the Full Members Cup game against Millwall. The game was virtually a dead rubber after the earlier games in the three-team group had seen Stoke City beat the Sky Blues 3-0 and draw 2-2 with Millwall. This meant that City couldn't top the group and Millwall had to win by four clear goals to overhaul Stoke and go through to the Southern semi-finals. A low crowd was expected and the club decided to do what they did for reserve games in those days and produce an A4 photocopied sheet. The game ended 1-1 with Terry Gibson setting a post-war record by scoring in seven consecutive games but Nicky Chatterton equalised five minutes from time. The attendance was 1,086 with policeman outnumbering Millwall fans in the visitor's enclosure.

I wrote a few weeks ago that City's recent record on live television was excellent with no defeats in the last nine games televised following the 1-1 draw at Luton. The last defeat was in December 2016 when a last minute goal by Billy Sharp gave Sheffield United the points at the Ricoh. John Baker recalls City having a long period without an away win on television a few years ago and asked me for the details. City won 1-0 at St Andrews in November 2008, courtesy of a Clinton Morrison goal. Then they failed to win in the next eight televised away games before ending the run with a 2-1 win at Burton in September 2015 with goals from Marcus Tudgay and Roman Vincelot. Almost seven years without an away win 'on the box'.

The games were as follows:

2008-09 Reading lost 1-3

2009-19 Derby lost 1-2

2009-10 Scunthorpe lost 0-1

2009-10 Leicester drew 2-2

2010-11 QPR lost 1-2

2011-12 Ipswich lost 0-3

2011-12 Southampton lost 0-4

2013-14 Bradford C drew 3-3

In the same seven-year period City's home form on television was much better with seven wins and four defeats in eleven appearances.

Several readers have asked me about City's away following this season and how it compares with other years. 1,853 City fans travelled to Barnsley two weeks ago, the fourth highest of the season, bringing the average for the season (league games only) to 1,247. Today's following at Sunderland is expected to be over 2,000 and will take the average over last season's final average of 1,268.

Away followings have only been accurately recorded since 2006 and the best season was in 2013-14 when an average of 1,603 followed City in the season they played home games at Northampton. One of the most interesting aspects of the figures are that in the six seasons spent in the Championship (2006-12), the average was never over 1,000 but since relegation in 2012 the numbers have only once dipped below 1,000 – in the League One relegation campaign in 2016-17. If the followings for the three final league games are over 2,000 (and there is a good chance of that) then the final average for this season will be the second highest since records were kept.

The averages for the last 12 seasons are as follows:

2006-07 935

2007-08 958

2008-09 852

2009-10 805

2010-11 786

2011-12 918

2012-13 1,150

2013-14 1,603

2014-15 1,002

2015-16 1,339

2016-17 806

2017-18 1,268

Anyone who thinks our away followings are somehow special should reflect on the fact that the average away followings of teams visiting the Ricoh is 1,231, just 16 short of City's average. That average includes some pitifully small number of fans by clubs such as Fleetwood (62), Rochdale (302) and Accrington (303). Sunderland brought almost 5,000 fans and three clubs brought over 2,000 (Luton, Oxford and Bristol Rovers).

Jim's column 30.3.2019

Two weeks ago I wrote about the sad passing of former Coventry City player Graham Newton and former director Micky French. Since then I have had communication from several people that I would like to share with you.

First, Graham's widow Christine informed me that Graham's funeral will take place on Tuesday 9th April (1.30) at Telford Crematorium and afterwards at Patshull Park Hotel near Wolverhampton. All are welcome.

Then I spoke to Micky's son, Simon French, who was kind enough to send me a couple of cuttings from Micky's scrapbook. Micky was on City's books as a 17-year-old and made his debut for City's reserve team at Tottenham in September 1947 on the left wing. City included their goal machine George Lowrie who had lost form after two hatricks in the opening three games for the first team. Before the end of the season, the Welsh international centre-forward was sold to Newcastle for what was in those days a massive £18,000 fee. City's goalkeeper was a young Peter Taylor, later to become Brian Clough's right-hand man at Derby and Forest and the Murphy was Peter who later became a top player and joined Spurs for a big fee in the early 1950s before playing in the 1956 FA Cup final for Birmingham City. City's reserves lost 7-1 to a Spurs team containing seven players with first team experience. 

Finally, I had a nice obituary on Micky from Leamington FC historian Paul Vanes:

Michael, known to everybody as Micky, was born in London playing for London Schools before his school was evacuated to Oxford during the war. Association football was not on the curriculum of his adopted school and as Micky’s first love was soccer, he was not to be denied his game, so he played rugby on Saturday and soccer on Sunday.

When he left school Micky moved to Coventry and joined Stoke St. Michaels in the Minor League. His consistent displays for Stoke won him a place in the Birmingham County F.A. Youth Xl needless to say his performances soon attracted the League scouts and he signed amateur forms Coventry City for whose ‘A’ and Reserves teams he played.

Micky, like all young men, had to do his National Service and after two years in the R.A.F. was signed for the Brakes by ex-City player Les Latham who knew of his ability. As an amateur he played for the Birmingham County F.A. and then signed professional forms in 1952 going on to play two consecutive seasons for the Rest of The Birmingham Combination versus the champions.

Micky made his debut for Lockheed against Tamworth on 10th of February 1951 keeping his place throughout the rest of the season winning a medal beating Hereford United Reserves in the final of the Birmingham Senior cup replay at the Windmill in front of 3.500 fans. Another medal was collected when Brakes beat Bedworth Town 6-1 at the Oval in the final of the local Charity cup with Micky scoring one of the goals.

From a goal scoring point of view, Micky netted four times against Birch Coppice Colliery in a 6-1 home win on January 20th 1954 and recorded 11 for the season, the best of his Lockheed career. August 22nd 1955 saw Lockheed host Northampton Town in a joint benefit match for Micky French, Frank Grimwood and Albert Sneddon, Cobbles ran out winners by the odd goal in three watched by 1,445 fans and Brakes goal was scored by ………Micky French.

Many league clubs tried to poach Micky away from the semi-professional game but he resisted and in October 1955, he joined Rugby Town. He played over 170 games scoring 35 goals for Lockheed. By trade Micky was a chartered accountant joining Coventry City as a director in 1969 and resigned in 1992

His brother David, who pre-deceased him, was also a professional player with Lockheed in 1951/52 and 1952/53. I am sorry this obituary is belated but we did find out until last week Micky had passed away from dementia and cancer. Micky is now slinging over the corners and crosses for Bill Draper to head home on the green grass upstairs.

May we offer our sincere and heartfelt condolences to wife June, son Simon, daughter Alison and her three children plus all the family and the friends of this very nice man on behalf of everyone at Leamington Football Club and the Brakes Trust. The funeral was at Oakley Woods last month.

Jim's column 16.3.2019

Graham Newton

22.12.1942 – 25.2.2019

It is sad to report the death of former Coventry City and Walsall player Graham Newton at the age of 76. He played a very small but important part in City's history, playing just eight games that helped the club over the line to the 1963-64 Third Division championship.

At the start of January 1964 City had an eight point lead at the top of the table and looked odds-on favourites for promotion. They had lost only three league games out of 27 and had no FA Cup commitments to hinder their charge to promotion. Then, inexplicably, the wheels fell off and they failed to win any of their next 11 games before finally getting back to winning ways on the last Saturday in March. Lots of theories were put forward for the slump – City had been rumbled by their opponents, the injured pair George Hudson and Ernie Machin were missed, the heavy pitches were blamed – and Jimmy Hill, under pressure for the first time as a manager, tried everything to turn the off-course ship back on course including considering a hypnotist to work on the players. JH wanted to strengthen the squad and bring some new blood in and in February he paid Walsall a small fee for their young inside forward Graham Newton, later spending over £20,000 on the more experienced pair of George Kirby and John Smith. Newton had impressed Hill playing for the Saddlers at Highfield Road in December.

                              1964 promotion team with Newton second from left in middle row.                                    

21-year-old Graham made his debut in a 2-2 home draw with Brentford and Nemo in the Coventry Telegraph described him as 'without question City's most persistent forward, and deserved a goal for his dogged work'. He was involved in the first goal, pressurising Brentford's Matt Crowe to deflect Ronnie Farmer's shot past his own keeper. A week later Graham netted his first City goal in a 1-1 draw at Wrexham as City's lead was cut down to one point and followed up with another goal a week later in a 2-2 home draw with Bournemouth as City put on their best performance since the New Year with 35 shots on goal. After another draw, the fourth in a row, 1-1 at Watford, City got the shock of their lives when Southend came to Highfield Road on Friday 13th March and ran out 5-2 victors despite the return of the talismanic George Hudson. With City knocked off top spot, Hill acted speedily and signed Kirby and Smith, and Graham was left out the following week but returned for the Oldham home game when the Sky Blues suddenly recovered form. George Kirby netted a hat-trick and Graham scored the other in a relief-inducing 4-1 win.

He appeared in two further games as City staggered to the end of the season before taking advantage of their rivals Crystal Palace and Watford losing on the final day, and beat Colchester 1-0 in front of 36,901, and clinched the title. Hudson was back from injury for the Colchester game and Graham watched from the sidelines as George scored the only goal.

The following season with Machin fit, Graham failed to break into the first team and made one appearance in a 4-1 League Cup win over Ipswich. In December 1964 he joined Third Division Bournemouth.

Graham was born in Bilston in the Black Country and kept his trademark accent throughout his life. He was on Wolves' books as a teenager but was released in 1961 and was on Blackpool's books for a few months, playing in their Central League side. A move back to the Midlands and Walsall in 1962 was perfect and he broke into the Saddlers first team a month before his 20th birthday. Walsall were struggling in Division Two and league leaders Chelsea thumped them 5-1 to ruin Graham's big day. He kept his place for one more game but was then out of the team until Easter Monday by which time Walsall were rock bottom. His re-appearance sparked a mini revival as the Saddlers lost only two of nine games with Graham netting six goals. On the morning of the final game, at home to Charlton, they needed a single point to stay up and send Charlton and Luton down. It was a disastrous day with Graham playing on after breaking his ankle and goalkeeper Alan Boswell also injured and a 16,000 crowd watched Charlton win 2-1 and send the Saddlers down.

After leaving Highfield Road Graham had three seasons at Bournemouth making 30 odd appearances before taking up an offer to play in the USA with Atlanta Chiefs. One of the pioneers of US Soccer, Phil Woosnam, signed Graham and in the 1967 season he netted eight goals in 15 games. In 1968 playing alongside former British stars such as Peter McParland and Ray Bloomfield he netted 10 goals as Atlanta won the League title. Apart from a brief sojourn at Port Vale in 1968-69, Graham stayed in the states and in 1970 was a member of the Atlanta team that played the touring Coventry City side, the Sky Blues winning 2-1. He always talked about his time in the US and the great lifestyle he and his wife enjoyed.

In the early 1970s Graham was still playing non-league football in the West Midlands at clubs such as Hednesford, Worcester City and Stourbridge. He later returned to the USA, running very successful soccer schools.

In retirement he played golf enthusiastically and was captain at Patshull Park, his local golf club. I played with him on a number of occasions and he was great company as well as being very positive about life in general. He was a tireless fund raiser for the Teenage Cancer Trust, was a regular attendee at Former Players events at both Coventry and Walsall and was at the Jimmy Hill Celebration day at the Ricoh in December. He died whilst on holiday in Spain.

It was also sad to hear last week of the death of former Coventry City director Micky French at the age of 89. Micky was one of a rare breed to play for the club and join the board – he represented City Reserves as an amateur in the early 1950s (he was a nippy winger) before combining an accountancy career with turning out for Lockheed Leamington. A keen cricketer, he was brought on to the board by Derrick Robins in 1969 and was a director up until 1992 serving under various chairmen, including Peter Robins, Phil Mead and John Poynton. Poynton, City's chairman at the time of the 1987 FA Cup triumph described him as a hard-working director of the club and a massive City fan. 'He always had the club's interests in everything he did as a director and wholeheartedly supported me at all times'.

                                 City's directors in 1987 with French standing third from left.

Jim's column 2.3.2019

Following Jordan Willis' milestone of reaching 200 games for the Sky Blues at Luton on Sunday (and what a performance he gave) we have another milestone looming. Goalkeeper Lee Burge, castigated and praised for his performance at Kenilworth Road will all being well make his 150th appearance for the club. Like Willis, a product of the club's successful Academy, Hereford-born Lee made his first team bow in a League Cup tie against Cardiff City – the penultimate game at Sixfields. Two other home-grown players also made their debut that night, Jack Finch and James Maddison in a 2-1 defeat. Prior to that he had sat on the sub's bench almost 60 times and was soon back there with Ryan Allsop keeping him out of the team. Lee made his league debut in a 3-2 home win over Peterborough a couple of months later and within months was the first choice.

Lee becomes the eighty eighth Coventry City player to join the 150 club and the thirteenth goalkeeper and what an illustrious group of 'keepers he joins. At 150 he is just one game behind City's most capped player Swede Magnus Hedman and six behind his predecessor Joe Murphy and 60s giant Bob Wesson. The full list of City's top goalkeepers is:

601 games Steve Ogrizovic 1984-2000

402 Bill Glazier 1964-74

246 Alf Wood 1938-58

236 Jerry Best 1920-25

180 Les Sealey 1977-83

174 Jim Blyth 1975-80

165 Arthur Lightening 1958-62

163 Tommy Allen 1928-32

160 Bill Morgan 1932-39

156 Bob Wesson 1958-66

156 Joe Murphy 2011-14

151 Magnus Hedman 1997-2002

These 13 goalkeepers (including Burge) have kept goal in over 66% of Coventry City games since the club joined the league in 1919 and that doesn't include three other centurions including Keiren Westwood and our first England international, Reg Matthews. What a reputation the club has for fine goalkeepers.

City's fine draw at Luton was covered by Sky TV and was the ninth game running that the club have remained unbeaten in live televised games stretching back over two years. In reverse order the unbeaten games are:

February 2019 Luton (a) 1-1

September 2018 Sunderland (h) 1-1

September 2018 Oxford (a) 2-1

May 2018 Exeter (n) 3-1 (Play-off final)

May 2018 Notts County (a) 4-1 (Play-off semi final)

May 2018 Notts County (h) 1-1 (Play-off semi final)

October 2017 Barnet (a) 0-0
April 2017 Oxford (n) 2-1 (Checkatrade final)
February 2017 Wycombe (h) 2-1 (Checkatrade semi final)

The club's last defeat on TV was the home game with Sheffield United in December 2016 when Billy Sharp's added-time goal made it 2-1.

Jim's column 23.2.2019

City travel to face league leaders Luton Town tomorrow lunchtime and attempt to repeat last season's victory at Kenilworth Road and become the first team to lower the Hatters' flag at home. The game is a big milestone for Coventry-born Jordan Willis who, assuming he plays, will make his 200th appearance for the club. He becomes only the 45th Coventry City player to achieve the feat and the third Cov-born player - only Marcus Hall (308) and Gary McSheffrey (281) have made more. His 200th appearance brings him level with Gary McAllister, five behind Gary Gillespie and nine behind 1987 hero Dave Bennett.

Jordan made his debut as a 17-year-old in the Championship on 5th November 2011 when he came on as a substitute for James McPake in a 4-2 home defeat to Southampton. In a miserable season for the Sky Blues he made a further substitute appearance in a home defeat to Ipswich in February before his first start in the final game of the season that saw the Premiership-bound Saints complete the double 4-0.

Three appearances followed in 2012-13 – all in winning teams – including a 3-2 League Cup victory over Birmingham City but it wasn't until the arrival of Steven Pressley that he became a regular in the first team, either as a full-back or in his preferred central defensive position. Since then he has partnered a wide variety of centre-halves including Andy Webster, Reda Johnson, Matthew Pennington, Aaron Martin, Jordan Turnbull, Rod McDonald and Dom Hyam. He missed most of the exciting 2015-16 season through injury but bounced back to captain the team through the majority of 2016-17 including lifting the Checkatrade Trophy at Wembley. Last season injury struck again and he missed quite a few games in the run-in but returned to star in the play-off game at Meadow Lane and then scored the stunning first goal in the play-off final at Wembley. City fans will also remember his goal in the FA Cup victory over Premiership Stoke City last season and his winning goal against Barnsley this campaign.

Readers are always reminding me of a former player who has scored against the Sky Blues but as I have always responded, there are far more ex-players who don't score against us. This season the only former players to net against the Sky Blues have been Ruben Lameiras, two goals for Plymouth, and Nathan Delfouneso of Blackpool, and yet there are a good number of our former players in League One. Last Saturday two Coventry players, Amadou Bakayoko and Jordy Hiwula, scored against their former club, Walsall. Jordy had already scored against another of his former clubs, Bradford City, in the 4-2 win in October. It set me thinking about other City players scoring against their old clubs. It's not a common occurrence in recent years as City have fielded young sides with a large number of homegrown players but I remember Stuart Beavon scoring against Wycombe, Leon Clarke against former clubs Scunthorpe and Swindon and Gary McSheffrey against Birmingham and Leeds in his second spell at the club. Leon Mckenzie, Richard Wood and Clinton Morrison all scored against their former clubs. Going further back Ernie Hunt always seemed to score against his former club Everton, including the famous donkey kick and Terry Gibson, David Speedie and Neil Martin delivered against their former clubs. No City players have scored a hatrick against a former club but several have scored two in a game including Hunt (twice), Martin (twice), Barry Powell (v Wolves) and Bobby McDonald (v Aston Villa). Going back to the Walsall game I think it might be the first time that two Coventry players have scored against their old club in the same game.

                                                      Ron Healey catches a cross (Southampton (home) 1972

Ron Healey was the first ever loan player to play for Coventry City in 1971-72 season. It's just come to my attention that the former Manchester City and Cardiff goalkeeper passed away last summer, aged 65. In December 1971 regular goalkeeper Bill Glazier suffered a thigh muscle injury and reserve 'keeper Eric McManus stood in for a 2-0 defeat at Highbury but in the following game, a 1-1 home draw with Chelsea Eric made a bad error and conceded a soft goal. It would be the end of Eric's career at Highfield Road and he was released the following summer, joining Notts County. Noel Cantwell approached his best friend in football, Malcolm Allison, and 19-year-old Healey arrived from Manchester City on a month's loan. He had made nine appearances for Man City as understudy to Joe Corrigan and went straight into City's team at Old Trafford on 27th December. United were four points clear at the top of the league but with a confident Healey making an early save, City took a two goal lead before United came back to draw. Healey played two further games before Glazier was fit, keeping a clean sheet in a 1-0 home win over Southampton but letting in four as City lost 4-2 at Newcastle. Healey returned to Maine Road where he made 27 further appearances over three seasons before joining Cardiff for whom he played almost 250 games and won two caps for the Republic of Ireland.

Jim's column 16.2.2019

                                                               Steve Murcott 

The sad news of the passing of England’s 1966 World Cup goalkeeper Gordon Banks was met with deserved universal praise from the football world. Gordon was the best goalkeeper in the world in the golden years at the end of the 1960s and had a major influence on Leicester City and Stoke City as well as the England national team.

Gordon had some memorable matches against the Sky Blues playing for both Midland clubs and also played at Highfield Road in Bill Glazier’s testimonial game, two years after his tragic car accident in 1972.

By the time of his first appearance at Highfield Road in December 1964 Gordon was a veteran of over 200 games for Leicester including two losing FA Cup final appearances. He had won his first England cap in 1963 and had immediately established himself as England’s number 1. The League Cup quarter final draw had paired the Foxes with the Sky Blues and although Coventry were fresh out of Division Three they fancied their chances of causing a shock against their mid-table First Division rivals.

Banks had a relatively quiet night as his forwards took advantage of George Curtis’s early injury to hammer Jimmy Hill’s team 8-1, the club’s biggest post war defeat. The only shot that got past him was a George Hudson overhead kick for a consolation goal.

Two months earlier City had paid a world goalkeeper record fee of £35,000 for Bill Glazier but Bob Wesson was the unfortunate ‘keeper that night, standing in for the cup tied Glazier. Glazier was already in England manager Alf Ramsey’s thoughts having made his Under 23 debut a week before the Leicester game. By the spring of 1965 the impressive Glazier was being tipped to be part of Alf’s 1966 World Cup squad after three clean sheets for the Under 23s. Tragedy struck at Maine Road on Easter Saturday when Bill broke his leg in a clash with Manchester City’s Glyn Pardoe. The serious break kept him out for a year and his World Cup hopes were dashed.

I’m not suggesting that Glazier would have taken Banks’s place in the 1966 tournament but he would have made a valuable number two to Gordon.

By the time City were promoted to Division One in 1967 Gordon had left Leicester for Stoke and the Sky Blues had the Indian sign over the Potters for two seasons with Gordon letting in three goals in successive seasons at the Victoria Ground. In the 1968-69 season he was in goal for Stoke as City, inspired for once by the twin strikers Tony Hateley and Neil Martin, recorded a 3-0 victory.

That defeat apart Gordon generally looked the top class ‘keeper he was when facing the Sky Blues and usually had good protection from some fearsome defenders such as Dennis Smith, Alan Bloor and Eric Skeels. One exception was the game at Highfield Road in December 1970. A dour game was decided by a weak John O’Rourke header which slipped embarrassingly past Gordon’s left leg. Coming months after his wonder save from Pele’s header in Guadalajara six months earlier it was a stunner for everyone.

After the car accident in 1972 that cost Gordon the sight in one eye he never played competitive football in England again. However he did turn out in Glazier’s testimonial in 1974 alongside eight others from the 1966 final with only Bobby Charlton and Nobby Stiles not appearing. The ever so friendly game ended 6-6 with Glazier emerging from goal for the last 10 minutes to score two goals but no one cared about the result. Despite letting in six goals City fans had seen the finest English goalkeeper of all time make a final bow.

Talking of goalkeepers I have to mention David Stockdale’s appearance as an emergency loan at Rochdale last week. He put in an impressive performance as the Sky Blues finally recorded a victory at Spotland at the tenth attempt in almost 100 years not least with his superb save from Henderson in the second half. Unless Lee Burge is unable to return from injury today against Walsall Stockdale will join the ‘one game heroes club’ joining Steve Murcott and Mick Harford. Murcott was the youth team goalkeeper who, in 1979, was called out of the stands when Jim Blyth ricked his back in the warm up prior to the home game with Norwich. He kept a clean sheet as City won 2-0 but never played for the first team again. Harford, the current manager of runaway leaders Luton, was signed by Bobby Gould in 1993 and came on for his debut as a substitute in a home game with Newcastle with 16 minutes remaining. He scored the winning goal five minutes from time with a looping header but a back injury meant he never played in a Sky Blue shirt again.

Jim's column 9.2.2019

Michael Doyle left the club on transfer deadline day to join League Two Notts County on an 18-month contract. There are mixed feelings about his departure but I think Mark Robins’ comments about Doyle’s wanting to play football and there being no guarantee of that at the Ricoh is probably accurate. There are no mixed feelings about Doyle’s contribution to the club in his two spells spanning almost 16 years. He arrived from Celtic as a raw boned midfielder with a delicious left foot. In his first spell he played under six different full-time managers in six and a half seasons (with a season on loan at Leeds) before joining Sheffield United and subsequently Portsmouth.  I think his high wages were an issue when he was allowed to join the Blades in 2011 but would the Sky Blues have been relegated from the Championship if the feisty Dubliner had still been at the club. I'm sure all City fans wish Michael all the best with Notts and hope he can help pull them from the abyss to the Conference.
He was the captain and a major force for Portsmouth in their League Two promotion in 2017 and repeated the feat with the Sky Blues last season. He leaves having made 373 first team appearances for the club and scoring 26 goals. That makes him the seventh highest appearance maker for the club and easily the highest in the 21st century. The six players to play more games are Steve Ogrizovic (601), George Curtis (543), Mick Coop (499), Brian Borrows (488), Bill Glazier (402) and Mick Kearns (385).
His full season-by-season record is as follows:

Season	League	FA Cup	L Cup	Other	Total	Lge goals	Cup goals
2003-04	38+2	3	2	-	43+2	5	-
2004-05	43+1	2	3	-	48+1	2	1
2005-06	44	3	2	-	49	-	-
2006-07	40	2	-	-	42	3	-
2007-08	42	3	4	-	49	7	-
2008-09	34+3	5	0+2	-	39+5	2	1
2010-11	15+3	1	-	-	16+3	1	-
2017-18	44	4	-	4	52	3	-
2018-19	21+2	1	-	-	22+2	1	-
Totals	321+11	24	11+2	4	360+13	24	2

It was a surprise last Saturday to see new boy David Meyler lead out the team. He is the first loanee to captain the club and the sixth starting captain of the season after Doyle, Kelly, Tom Davies, Abu Ogogo and Morgan Williams. Ogogo and Williams captained the team in Checkatrade EFL trophy games.
Several people on Twitter bemoaned the lack of headed goals from City this season and I had to remind them that we have actually scored eight headed goals, three from set pieces. The eight are: Clarke-Harris v Gillingham (a), Bradford (a), Hiwula v Charlton (h), Chaplin v Wycombe (h), Scunthorpe (a), Willis v Barnsley (h), Hyam v Bristol R (a), Bakayoko v Charlton (a). There was a ninth as well, Tom Davies’ header at Southend was clearly over the line but not given!