Members News: Pat Was D-Day Diamond Geezer Last Week!
CCFPA has always had great relations with CCFC’s Diamond Club, the association for veteran Sky Blue supporters. We share Presidents (in Joe Elliott), and many of their members have been CCFPA Associate Members in the past including their current Secretary Kev Monks. Additionally at almost every one of their regular meetings, usually 200+ strong, at least one of their guest speakers is one of our Former Player members. For example in the recent past they have featured CCFC ‘stars of the past’ Jim Blyth, David Phillips, Willie Carr and CCFPA committee members Dave Bennett and Dietmar Bruck. The Diamond Club can be found here.
Pat Suffo in the Sky Blue
At their last meeting on 6th June last, which happened to coincide with the 80th Anniversary of D-Day, more than 200 guests (after a minute’s silence in memory and tribute) welcomed a duo of guest speakers, local broadcaster and Sky Blue fan Rob Gurney, and our member, Cameroon international and CCFC striker from 2003-05 Patrick Suffo – making a fairly rare public speaking appearance, though Pat was one of our ‘stars of the past’ at Legends Day 2024 at the CBS Arena a few weeks back!
Pat Suffo at LD24
A comprehensive report (by ‘RD’) on the June 2024 Diamond Club meeting on the CovSupport News Service website, run by Kev, can be found here. Thanks to Kev we provide an excerpt of Pat’s interesting talk (in conversation with Joe) below:-
“The first speaker was Patrick and Joe Elliott asked about his time at Coventry. Patrick served under several managers during his spell with the Sky Blues, 2003-2005. He enjoyed playing under Gary McAllister and his successor Eric Black, but less so under Peter Reid and Micky Adams, the latter who told him, he was surplus to requirements.
Pat Suffo in Sky Blue scoring action 2003-04
Before joining Coventry City, Patrick played for Sheffield United and was one of three players sent off in a game against West Bromwich Albion, the so called ‘Battle of Bramall Lane’. The game ended up being abandoned after all substitutes had been used but two players had to leave the pitch with injuries, leaving The Blades with just six players.
Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images
