Matchday Memories: On This Day 1933 – Tannoys Trashed As ‘Bantam’ Billy Bags Brighton Draw

Billy Lake

On this day (21st October) way back in 1933 ‘Bantams’ inside-forward Billy Lake scored City’s equaliser in a Division Three South match at Brighton and Hove Albion at the Goldstone in front of a crowd of 6,642 (or 7,376 depending on source).

Jimmy Baker

After a goalless first half Billy scored in the 50th minute to give City the lead. Brighton‘s reply five minutes later from ‘Tug’ Wilson was heavily disputed by the Bantams who thought it was offside and Jimmy Baker was cautioned for protesting.  City’s No.2 Vic Brown managed to demolish a row of pitchside railings after an over-enthusiastic shoulder charge! It was a man’s game in the thirties.

This result was part of a wonderful seventeen match unbeaten run in Division Three South for the club stretching between two 5-1 home victories, over Swindon Town on September 23rd 1933 all the way to another one over Crystal Palace on January 6th 1934!

Harry Storer

That great two-time Coventry City manager Harry Storer fielded the following team that day:-

Horace Pearson, Vic Brown, Eric Perry, Jimmy Baker, Tommy Davison (captain), Harry Boileau, Jock Lauderdale, Clarrie Bourton, Billy Lake and George Bytheway.

Charlie Webb‘s Brighton Boys lined up:-

Stan Webb, Albert Lumberg, Ernie King, Len Darling, Frank Brett (c), Dave Walker, Stan Thompson, Bobby Farrell, Arthur Attwood, Potter Smith and ‘Tug’ Wilson                                    Referee:- Capt. G.Hamilton-Jones (Woolwich)

Billy Lake in action

Billy Lake was CCFC’s longest serving player between the wars and his wonderful contribution to the club was often overshadowed by Clarrie Bourton‘s scoring feats.

Billy joined CCFC from Walsall in November 1928 (he was the son of one of the Saddlers’ Directors) and stayed and played at the club for more than a decade (eleven seasons) between 1928 and 1939. He scored into double figures in five consecutive seasons beteen 1929-30 and 1933-34.

Walter Brandish (snr)

Billy retired just after the outbreak of World War II in 1939. He scored 123 goals in his City career in a total of 245 first team League and F.A.Cup outings plus more in other competitions. This makes Billy runner up to the legendary Clarrie Bourton in the all time club scoring charts!

Despite a great season CCFC just missed out on promotion to Division Two, in runners up spot, behind promoted Norwich City. Ironically, CCFC Chairman Walter Brandish senior had, earlier in the season, sponsored a change to the promotion/ relegation rules to make it two up and down instead of one but the proposal narrowly fell!  Brighton & Hove Albion finished tenth in Division Three South. Bournemouth and bottom club Cardiff had to seek re-election to the Football League (and managed so to do).

CCFC 1933-34

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A week later (28/10/1933), in the precursor to the Coventry Telegraph, the Midland Daily Telegraph (which held shares in CCFC at the time) the Coventry newspaper’s famous football correspondent Nemo railed against the ‘unseen but very obtrusive mechanical contraption’ (i.e.tannoy radio) heard at the game (usually introduced from use at local greyhound/ speedway tracks) which he claimed was ‘destroying peaceful traditions‘!

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

Members News: Irish Ex Sky Blue Midfielder reaches the BIG 5-0 Today. ‘Happy Birthday’, Tony!

Tony in Sky Blue action

CCFPA would like to wish ‘Many Happy Returns’ of the day to former young Sky Blue midfielder Tony Sheridan. An Irishman, born in Dublin on 21st October 1974, Tony is therefore celebrating his 50th birthday today – Congratulations!

 Tony came to Coventry as a youngster to seek his footballing fortune and worked his way through the junior teams at Highfield Road to win his first professional contract with the Sky Blues in October 1991 aged eighteen.  His potential was soon recognised and he was quickly given his first chance in the first team coming on as a deputy for the injured Lloyd McGrath (now a fellow CCFPA member) in a Premier League fixture at Elland Road against Leeds United on 31st October 1992 in a 2-2 draw. This was his only first team appearance in 1992-93. The following season he played another eight times (four from the bench).

Tony Sheridan in Sky Blue red

At Highfield Road Tony was further recognised by his country (having played previously at U17 and U19 levels) appearing (and scoring) for the RoI U19s in the qualifiers for the 1993 UEFA Football Championships. He won four of his five U21 Caps whilst with City. However, he was reportedly badly home sick whilst in the Midlands and his professional career might have been curtailed with the nine Sky Blues appearances (no goals) had he not been allowed to return to his homeland.

Tony signed for Shelbourne in August 1995, in his first season with them helping them to win both the League of Ireland and FAI Cups and found his scoring touch. In 1996-97 another FAI Cup winners medal with the Shels came his way and the following season his team just missed a FAI Cup treble beating beaten in the final by Cork City and also were pipped to the league title on the last day.

Tony clocked up 119 league appearances for Shelbourne (21 goals) before moving to Portadown for the 1999/2000 season. A season long sojourn in Wales playing for Cardiff City (but not in the first team) followed for the first season in the millennium before Tony returned home for a few more games with Shelbourne in two spells either side of a season (2001-02) spent at Dublin City where he played 33 games for a return of four goals.

After his third spell with the Shels, during which he had a short attachment to Glenavon, Tony signed for Waterford United in 2003. He finally hung up his boots after playing seventeen times for Shamrock Rovers from 2005 and failing to prevent their relegation. He is now holder of a UEFA B coaching licence. He became something of a cult hero in his home country despite not getting full recognition by the Republic of Ireland. Clearly the Sky Blues only saw the beginnings of a prodigious but in some respects underused footballing talent. Both aspects are considered in this 2017 League of Ireland profile of Tony. Just click on the link or image below to watch.

https://youtu.be/4LVe4LBlKlo

‘Happy Birthday’ Tony!  We hope you will be able to come over to see us in Coventry before too long!

Matchday Memories: On This Day 2020 – See ‘Shippers’ Secure Sky Blue Point v Swans!

Jordan Shipley, Coventry City

On this day (20th October) four seasons ago in 2020 it took a nineteenth minute goal from CCFPA’s quite recent recruit Jordan Shipley to secure a Championship point against Swansea City in the Sky Blues ‘home’ fixture in exile at Birmingham City‘s stadium (an almost empty St Andrews due to COVID19 restrictions). An equalising strike, four minutes before the half time interval, from the Swans’ forward Andre Ayew ensured the Welsh team shared the spoils. The Sky Blues failed to prevent the Welsh team extending their unbeaten away run to nine games.

Manager Mark

Sky Blue ‘gaffer’ Mark Robins had made a couple of changes to the side that had lost to Brentford the previous weekend giving a Championship debut start to young defender Sam McCallum (now a CCFPA member) who replaced Josh Pask and Coventry born ‘Shippers’  replacing another CCFPA member now Amadou Bakayoko (who dropped to the bench).

It was Shippers (pictured in action below), in a classy finish, who guided the ball into the net via the far post to put the previous season’s League One champions seemingly on course for only the Sky Blues’ second victory since their return to the Championship.

 

The two teams lined up as follows:-

Sky Blues (substitutes in brackets and CCFPA members underlined)

Marko Marosi, Sam McCallum (Josh Pask -79), Michael Rose, Kyle McFadzean (c), Dom Hyam, Ryan Giles, Ben Sheaf, Jordan Shipley (Liam Kelly -64), Jamie Allen, Callum O’Hare and Matty Godden

Unused Subs: Leo Ostigard, Gervane Kastaneer, Amadou Bakayoko, Max Biamou and Ben Wilson (gk)

Swansea City:

Viktor in Sky Blue action

Freddie Woodman, Connor Roberts, Kyle Naughton, Marc Guehi, Ben Cabango, Ryan Bennett, Jake Bidwell, Korey Smith, Matt Grimes (c), Andre Ayew, Jamal Lowe (Liam Cullen -65), Viktor Gyokeres (Jay Fulton -46)    Referee:- Keith Stroud

Unused Subs:Kyle Naughton, Ryan Manning, Kasey Palmer, Yan Dhanda and Steven Benda (gk)

There were plenty of Sky Blue connections this evening! Current Sky Blue defensive wide player Jake Bidwell and CCFC’s impressive Swedish former striker Viktor Gyokeres (now a CCFPA member) were both in the Welsh team for this game (and Jake got himself booked). Also until recently a Sky Blue midfielder Kasey Palmer was an unused substitute on the Swans’ bench and former Sky Blue mid nineties midfielder (and CCFPA member) Mike Marsh was the Swans’ assistant boss at this time!

Though the Sky Blues rounded off the Championship season with an emphatic 6-1 demolition of Millwall at St Andrews (with Kyle McFadzean scoring both ends) and had made undeniable progress City finished in sixteenth at the end of a strange season for them and fans!

CCFC 2020-21

Swansea City made the playoffs in fourth place in the Championship but it was third placed Brentford who won the playoffs and were promoted with Watford and champions (six points clear) Norwich City. At the other end Wycombe Wanderers, Rotherham United and bottom club Sheffield Wednesday had to prepare for life in League One next season! It was a measure of CCFC’s progress that both the Wombles and the Millers had accompanied the Sky Blues up from that division the previous season!

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

 

Matchday Memories: On This Day 2018 – See Sky Blues Savour Success At Southend!

Sky Blue gaffer Mark Robins

On this day (October 20th) in 2018 were doing their best to make progress in their aim of progressing up through League One to the Championship under manager Mark Robins. After a fairly shaky start with just three wins and five defeats in their first eleven league games the tide appeared to be turning in their last three games.

Conor Chaplin in the Sky Blue

After a 2-1 win at the Valley against Charlton Athletic another brace of victories,  both played at the Ricoh, followed. First, the Sky Blues squeaked through 4-2 on penalties in the Checkatrade Trophy first round tie against Forest Green Rovers (after being 1-1 at half-time). Last time out Wycombe Wanderers were dispatched by the only goal of the game scored by Conor Chaplin.

Jordy Hiwula in the Sky Blue

Today the Sky Blues were on a win treble at Roots Hall and that’s what they achieved as they took three points away at Southend United on this day. After having what looked line a good goal chalked off, the City then took the lead twenty minutes in with a simple close range volley from Jordy Hiwula after being left alone in the box to send the Sky Blues in a goal to the good at half-time.

Sadly, the Shrimpers fought back to get the hosts level after 68 minutes through Tom Hopper who produced a determined run into the City box to score past (now Association member) Lee Burge from a tight angle and make a score draw look on the cards. Perhaps the turning point came eleven minutes before the final whistle when Southend‘s Simon Cox picked up the second of two yellow cards and was sent off.

Jordy wheels away in celebration of his goal

Renewed energy from the Sky Blues, pressing to the last saw City’s Jodi Jones steal the winner and all the points just into added time hitting a bobbled shot through a crowded penalty area to break the hearts of the Shrimpers’ fans.

Jodi celebrates

There were four short of a 1,000 members of the Sky Blue Army present as part of the 7,775 crowd at the Thames estuary ground in Essex and they travelled home very pleased with the Sky Blues new found winning habit. In fact the Sky Blues continued for a while in this winning vein netting six successive wins, a draw and only one defeat in their eight games in October!

https://youtube.com/watch?v=uDtfAXDlM8c

Mark Robins‘ Sky Blues lined up as follows (CCFPA members underlined):-

Lee Burge, Dujon Sterling, Junior Brown, Jordan Willis, Tom Davies, Tom Bayliss, Luke Thomas, Michael Doyle (c), Jonson Clarke-Harris (sub. Amadou Bakayoko -89), Conor Chaplin (sub. Jodi Jones -84) and Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila (sub. Jordan Shipley -76),  Unused Subs:  Liam Kelly, Dom Hyam, Abu Ogogo and Liam O’Brien (gk)

Chris Powell‘s Southend team was:-

Mark Oxley, Elvis Bwomono, Ben Coker (sub. Harry Bunn -46), Stephen Hendrie, Taylor Moore, Michael Turner, Dru Yearwood, Timothee Dieng, Sam Mantom (c) (sub. Jason Demetriou -78), Simon Cox and Theo Robinson (sub. Tom Hopper -62)   Unused Subs: Shawn McCoulsky , Stephen McLaughlin, Harry Lennon and Nathan Bishop (gk)           Referee: Dean Whitehouse

On the last day of the year the Sky Blues completed the double over the Shrimpers narrowly beating Southend United 1-0 thanks to a 54th minute goal from (now CCFPA member) Jordy Hiwula goal!  Sadly, this season’s promotion push ultimately failed with too many bad patches during the season and points thrown away, including on the Association’s fantastic Legends Day 2019 in March at the Ricoh on 4th May when Oxford United left with a 1-0 win on a day when 45 FPs reunited back at the club. At the end of April a 1-1 draw against Shrewsbury Town proved to be City’s last game at the Ricoh since in June it was announced that the club would ground share with Birmingham City at St. Andrews for 2019-20 (and it also turned out for 2020-21).

CCFC 2018-19

Nevertheless, in 2018-19 Mark’s Men eventually finished in eighth position in League One and set themselves up, as all Sky Blues fans now know, for the following season’s tremendous performance (despite the Birmingham exile and the Coronavirus emergency) of deservedly and unambiguously walking away with the L1 title!

This particular season saw the Shrimpers escape the drop by the skin of their teeth finishing nineteenth with fifty points the same as Wimbledon (also safe in twentieth) and Plymouth Argyle who were relegated to League Two along with Walsall, Scunthorpe United and bottom club Bradford City.

The League One Champions were Luton Town who, with runners up Barnsley and third place Charlton Athletic (via the play-offs), were promoted to the Championship.

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young (& Dean Nelson) for sourcing the images.