Members News: John Sillett R.I.P. (20/7/1936 – 29/11/2021)

John in the Sky Blue 1963

John Sillett CCFC gaffer

CCFPA is very sad to have to pass on the news that our member, former Sky Blue player and ‘gaffer’, John Sillett passed away around 10pm last night aged 85 after a period of illness.

Sills’ passing will be profoundly felt in the football world, especially in Sky Blue land, as he will forever be in our minds and hearts as part of the managerial duo that gave the City of Coventry and its Football Club one of its most joyous and memorable days in the club’s history – bringing back the F.A.Cup to Coventry after that wonderful extra time Wembley win over Tottenham Hotspur in May 1987.

George & Sills celebrate the Wembley Cup win

John’s family posted the following on social media this morning which says it all about the man – and CCFPA sends its sincere condolences to all his family and friends at this time.

John’s death is particularly poignant as it comes in the same year as the passing of his great friend George Curtis, for so long John’s Sky Blue footballing partner as both player in the Jimmy Hill era and co-architect of a Sky Blues’ side that not only won the Cup but achieved some of the club’s highest ever finishes in the top flight. Both John and George were made Life Presidents of CCFC.

John was a pre-eminent team manager, tactician and motivator melding together Sky Blue squads which developed wonderful discipline, cameraderie, balance and fighting spirit, Schnozz’s teams mixed toughness, skill, togetherness and also, always, good humour! City’s management, team and fans were brilliantly brought together through the team’s football.  All those in the Association have been privileged to share in the many subsequent large and mini reunions between the ‘Boys of 87’ over the years who have kept close over well over thirty years.

John, as always, central  to the ‘Boys of 87’ at our 30th Anniversary reunion of the F.A.Cup win

There will be many tributes and appreciations to this giant of Coventry City football in coming hours, days and weeks and we will provide more posts today showing John and the Sky Blues in happier times. A full appreciation of John’s life and career by CCFPA Chairman Jim Brown, CCFC’s official historian, will also appear on this site in due course.

You will always be a Sky Blue Legend. We will miss you John! RIP