Matchday Memories: On This Pre Season Day 2013 – Sky Blues Stop Stags At The Death!

‘Elvis’ signs for a JSB

On this Friday (26th July) in 2013 the Sky Blues were playing their penultimate pre-season fixture preparatory to a League One campaign which would be fought under the double handicap of a ten point deduction and playing all their ‘home’ games in exile at Northampton Town‘s ground. Sky Blue ‘gaffer’ (and now CCFPA member) Steven Pressley, after a 4-1 win at near neighbours Nuneaton in their pre-season opener, watched his side get patchy results in a three game tour of Germany. Back home the unpredictable performances continued with a 2-0 win at Cheltenham Town and a reverse by the same score at Fleetwood Town. Today there was a chance to get back on track in the East Midlands.

Bakes in the Sky Blue

In this game against the Stags of Mansfield Town the Sky Blues had to battle back twice to take a last minute victory thanks to a penalty (his second of the game) in the third minute of added on time from CCFC captain (now a CCFPA member) Carl Baker. There were 1,072 fans in the One Call Stadium including 121 members of the Sky Blue Army who went home pleased with the last gasp win!

The Stags were clearly trying hard as they led once in each half through their trialist Calvin Andrew in the 22nd minute and then winger Sam Clucas three minutes into the second half. However, ‘Bakes’ replied with a penalty at the end of each half, both won by (‘Cov.Kid’, now CCFPA member and England International) Callum Wilson. Carl’s first equaliser came six minutes from half time. The Sky Blues’ second equaliser came courtesy of an own goal from the Stags’ Richard Beevers.

Callum In the Sky Blue

The club’s match report can be found by clicking on the link here.

Elvis’ Sky Blues played 4-4-2 in this game. These are the players (CCFPA members underlined):-

Lee Burge, Cyrus Christie, Jack Finch, Daniel Orozco (Tariq Azille-Moore -46), Ryan Haynes, Carl Baker, Billy Daniels, Adam Barton, Fabio Martins (Louis Garner -64); Callum Wilson and Mathieu Manset (Ben Maund -84). Unused sub: Alex Gott (gk).

 

Orozco, Azille-Moore, Martins and Manset were triallists. Matthieu made it and later joined CCFPA!

Paul Cox‘s Stags team was:-

Alan Marriott, Lee Beevers, Jack Dempster, John McCombe (Ritchie Sutton -76), James Jennings, Colin Daniel (Lindon Meikle -69), Adam Murray (Lee Stevenson -69), Jamie McGuire, Sam Clucas, Ross Dyer (John McGrath -76) and Calvin Andrew (Antony Howell -69). Unused subs: Jake Speight, Ryan Tafazolli, Paul Black, Eddie Gnorea and Chris Clements.   Referee: Gary Sutton (Lincolnshire FA)

CCFC 2013-14

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images.

Matchday Memories: On This Pre-Season Day 2008 – Cambridge Crumble To CC’s CCFC!

CCFC Manager- Chris Coleman (with Ray Ranson)

For the second part of the Oxbridge coincidence mentioned earlier, just as City played Oxford United on this day (26th July) in 2003 in a pre-season friendly, on this very day five years later in 2008, Sky Blue manager Chris Coleman (who had been appointed the previous February) took his team to meet a home team at the other English town that competes with Oxford in the annual boat race and has a venerable university tradition, Cambridge!

Chris was looking forward to his first full season in charge as City warmed up for their 2008-09 Championship campaign. The pre-season had kicked off well enough in Austria with a 2-1 win behind closed doors in a thirty minute each way work-out against local side RFE Vocklabruck. Then in a similar format game back in the UK City managed a 1-1 draw against non-league side Solihull Moors with the Sky Blues goal scored by Manuel Curto, a Portuguese trialist from Benfica! Two defeats followed in Switzerland against Romanian side FC Brasov (1-3) and local side Stade Nyonnais by the only goal of the game.

Keiren with CCFC

Back in the UK again two days previously a mix of first team and reserve players got back into winning ways tanning our non league neighbours Nuneaton by five clear goals. On this day the Sky Blues travelled to eastern England and came back with a 3-1 win over Cambridge United! There were 416 representatives of the Sky Blue Army among the 1,751 crowd at their ‘Trade Recruitment’ Stadium. Both teams began in a 4-4-2 formation (see below). However, City suffered a blow before the starting whistle when our goalkeeper (now CCFPA member) Keiren Westwood pulled a muscle during the warm-up and rookie goalie Danny Ireland had to come off the bench to start the game!

Danny in the Sky Blue

City’s goals came from defender Danny Fox (after 26 minutes) and a brace, one in each half, from Sky Blue striker (and now CCFPA member) Freddy Eastwood. Freddy’s first strike came after only twelve minutes of the first period and his second after 56 minutes. City went in at half-time two goals to the good. United’s consolation twelve minutes from time came from the penalty spot, Ben Farrell converting after City defender (and now CCFPA member) Steven Wright conceded.

A contemporary match report of the game from the Coventry Telegraph can be accessed here.

Freddy in Sky Blue action

Chris Coleman‘s CCFC that day (CCFPA members underlined) comprised:-

Danny Ireland, Stephen Wright, Danny Fox, Scott Dann, Elliott Ward, Julian Gray, Aron Gunnarsson (Kevin Thornton -85), Leon Best (Robbie Simpson -68), Freddy Eastwood (Leon McKenzie -73) and Jay Tabb       

Unused subs:– Ben Turner, Marcus Hall (and Keiren Westwood (gk))

Gary Brabin‘s Cambridge United team lined up:-

Danny Potter; Dan Gleeson, Joshua Coulson, Wayne Hatswell (Craig Bussens -81), Anthony Tonkin; Andrew Parkinson (Felino Jardim -73), Eddie Hutchinson (Ben Farrell -76), Mark Convery (Darren Quinton -76), Courtney Pitt (Gavin Hoyte -81); Domaine Rousse (Robbie Willmott -54) and Mark Beesley.    Unused Subs: Jordan Collins, Pat Bexfield, Tom Youngs and Sam Beagle (gk).

CCFC 2008-09

The season ended with a whimper rather than a bang with the Sky Blues safe enough in seventeenth spot in the league. One bright spot for the season, however, that CCFC made the quarter final of the F.A.Cup being knocked out by Chelsea at the Ricoh in March in front of a (then) record crowd for the newish stadium of 31,407.

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images.

Matchday Memories: On This Pre Season Day 2003 – Sky Blues Win Cup In Oxford Marathon!

On this day (July 26th) in pre-season 2003, back from a four game tour of Germany with mixed results, the Sky Blues took on Oxford United in their pre-season schedule.

The game was billed as the Billy Halsey Memorial Cup (which the Oxfordshire FA apparently had awarded annually since 1904) and Gary McAllister’s men, with Gary playing from the start, went on to take the trophy 9-8 on penalties after a scoreless draw at full time and no less than 22 penalty takers!!

A somewhat wry Coventry Telegraph contemporary match report of the game can be accessed here.

Gary McAllister- Sky Blue ‘gaffer’

Gary Mac’s Sky Blues fielded the following players (CCFPA members underlined):-

Scott Shearer; Andrew Whing (Emanuel Wengert -46), Mo Konjic, Calum Davenport, Stephen Warnock; Isaac Osbourne (Yazid Mansouri -??), Gary McAllister (Graham Barrett -??), Youssef Safri, Michael Doyle (Marcel Mahouvé -??); Patrick Suffo (Andy Hall -75) and ‘Dele Adebola (Avun Jephcott -??). Unused substitutes: Sean Cooney, Gustav Bahoken,  Mark Noon and Jonathan Tuffey (gk)

Ian Atkins Oxford United team comprised:-

Sky Blue Scott

Andy Woodman; Scott McNiven (Izzy Iriekpen -40), Andy Crosby, Matt Bound, Matt Robinson; Derek Townsley (James Hunt -69), Danny Brown (Andy Scott -75), Tom Widdrington (Fitzroy Simpson -??), Dean Whitehead (Chris Hackett -69); Julian Alsop and Steve Basham (Mark Rawle -??).     Referee: Dermot Gallacher

After the goalless ninety minutes failed to decide the Cup winners a long penalty decider ensued. City’s successful outfield spot-kickers were (from those who started) Youssef, Callum and Mo and (from the substitutes) Yazid, Avun, Andrew, ‘Manny’ and Marcel.

The last two named were trialists who failed to win a contract. Marcel was a Cameroonian trialist (as was Gustav) and Emanuel, who was from Germany, also had an unsuccessful trial with CCFC two years later. Even Sky Blue goalie Scott nailed his chance but Stephen and Graham missed their attempts. Oxford’s players missed three of their penalty chances.

CCFC 2003-04

Wins at Mansfield Town by a single goal and a 2-0 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Highfield Road completed pre season. In a decent First Division season the Sky Blues finished twelfth!

By coincidence, on this very day five years later in 2008 the Sky Blues played another Oxbridge opponent, Cambridge United and we will cover this pre-season friendly on this site later today so check back later!

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images.

Committee Members News: President Kirk Kicks Off Sky Blues CBS Pre-Season v. Toffees!

Kirk in the Sky Blue

The eagerly awaited Sky Blues 2024-25 Championship season kicks off in just over a fortnight’s time and their pre-season preparations are well under way. After a number of pre-season games away from Coventry, City fans will now be able to see Mark Robins current Sky Blue squad in a couple of home fixtures at the CBS Arena. The first match is a prestigious friendly against Premier League team Everton next Tuesday night, kick-off 7.45pm.

At this game we resume our programme of supplying a CCFC ‘star of the past’ to tour the supporters lounges and meet the fans pre-kick off and, after the contest, join more fans in the G-Casino under the Arena for some fun and games with our very own (new CCFPA chairman) Mr Billy Bell from the stage of Lady Gs. 

‘Harry’ Roberts chats with Kirk (right) at a Sky Blue game last season

We are keeping this fixture firmly in-house as our guest for the night will be none other than CCFPA President Kirk Stephens!! A ‘Coventry Kid’, born on 27th February 1955, Kirk has been ‘El Presidente‘ of the Association since its formation in 2006 and has been an inspiration for CCFPA’s continuing development and success.

Kirk is always heavily involved in CCFPA ‘set piece events’ like Legends Days and Golf Days and has also been a big supporter of the club’s Family Zone. He is no stranger to undertaking the ‘special guest’ stint at Sky Blues Ricoh/CBS Arena home games (left).

For the record, Kirk was actually turned down by CCFC as a youngster because he was thought not yet ready for top level football and so started his playing career with Nuneaton Borough under manager David Pleat. He then moved with Pleat when he took over the reins at Luton Town in 1978. At Kenilworth Road he accumulated nearly 250 appearances (and a couple of goals) with the Hatters and became a firm favourite as an attacking full back.

CCFPA President Kirk Stephens with committee member ‘Benno’ and  member Ian Wallace

In 1984 he was overjoyed to be brought back to his home-town by another former Caludon Castle schoolboy, ‘Cov kid’ (and fellow CCFPA member) Bobby Gould (with Ashley Grimes going in the opposite direction) At Highfield Road he made his first division debut against Aston Villa in August 1984. However, his top level career was unfortunately curtailed by a severe knee injury in May 1986 after only 37 Sky Blues appearances (and a brace of goals).

A fairly recent reunion of some of the ‘Boys of 87’ with Kirk 2nd left on back row

Sadly, he missed out on the successful F.A.Cup winning campaign of the following season, though he keeps in regular touch with the ‘Boys of ’87’ (left).

Between 1987-89 Kirk did play at non-league level with the likes of Barnet, Stockingford and Nuneaton Borough where he eventually became player-manager before hanging up his boots (and later he became a director there).

Kirk retains business interests in the locality and has also done some coaching with City Academy junior teams in the past too. Look out for kirk ‘around the lounges’ and in Lady Gs next Tuesday night as the Sky Blues test their mettle again against top tier opponents after so nearly putting Manchester United out of the F.A.Cup last season at Wembley at the semi-final stage.  The following Saturday the Sky Blues take on German side SV Werder Bremen at the CBS and look out on this site for our announcement of our ‘special guest’ for that game in due course!

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images.