Members News: Ex Sky Blue Central Defender Hits 42 Today. ‘Happy Birthday’ Andy!!

Andy Webster in the Sky Blue

Almost three years ago in May 2021, we were pleased to announce  that Scottish former Sky Blue central defender Andy Webster who played for the Sky Blues towards the end of his professional career in two seasons 2013-15 had become an Association member. Now we are pleased to congratulate him on another reason for celebration – his 42nd birthday! A Scotland international, Andy was born in Dundee on 23rd April in 1982.

Andy came to CCFC on a free from Scottish Premier League outfit Hearts and made his Sky Blue debut on the 8th August 2013 in a 5-4 win against Bristol City at Sixfields in the Sky Blues first game in their first period of exile. By the time he left League One CCFC, released by Tony Mowbray, in May 2015 Andy had clocked up 82 games in the Sky Blue first team shirt netting three times.

Andy Webster in City away kit

The always dependable and hard working defender first started out his professional career with two seasons at Scottish second division side Arbroath before establishing his reputation in six seasons at Hearts (2000-06) in his first period with the famous Edinburgh club. Netting nine times in 194 outings for the SPL club, with a year left on his contract and under controversial circumstances he moved to England for the first time with then Premier League team Wigan Athletic. In so doing he helped improve freedom of movement for his fellow pros and, like the earlier Bosman ruling, the FIFA ‘Webster Ruling’ sent shock waves around Europe. It took Andy eighteen months of arduous legal wrangles and compensation battles before he won his test case and established a principle about how contracts are applied.

However, making the adjustment to the Englich top level game proved harder than expected and, in January 2007 after only four games for the Lancashire initially on loan, Andy returned to his homeland signing for top club Rangers. In the event he only played a couple of games for the Ibrox based club due to both injury and being sent out on loan to successively Bristol City for six months (from August  2008 actually debuting against the Sky Blues at the Ricoh) and then Dundee United (for the whole 2009-10 season where he scored four goals in 31 games).

Andy in Sky Blue action

Andy’s time at Ibrox did not work out as hoped and he was released at the end of January 2011 allowing him to rejoin first love Hearts the following month after four-and-a-half injury-plagued years away. There he netted five times in 88 appearances over three seasons before making his move to the Sky Blues joining them in their time of exile for the first time at Northampton Town‘s Sixfields. By all accounts Andy enjoyed his time with the Sky Blues under former playing colleague and Scottish international (and now fellow CCFPA member) Steven Pressley. After Coventry Andy returned north of the border to sign for Scottish Championship side St Mirren in August 2015 and stayed with them two seasons before hanging up his boots in May 2017 with a decent career total of 21 goals in 475 appearances. He is (see below) currently back where he began acting as Academy Ambassador for Arbroath FC‘s Community Trust.

After winning both Scottish U21 and Scotland ‘B’ caps from 2003 Andy was recognised by his country intermittently over a decade (2003-13) eventually wearing his nation’s blue shirt in full internationals 28 times.

We hope to entertain Andy perhaps next season in Coventry at a Sky Blues home game at the CBS Arena and/or at an Association event/reunion. In the meantime ”Have a Great Birthday today, Andy’