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Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, is an association football club based in Coventry, England. Coventry City were founding members of the FA Premier League in 1992. They currently play in the Coca-Cola Championship, the second-highest tier of the English league system. As of 19 February 2008 they are managed by Chris Coleman following the departure Iain Dowie on 11 February 2008. A takeover with SISU Capital was agreed on 14 December 2007.
Between 1967 and 2001, a period of 34 years, they were continuously members of England's top division although they never finished higher than sixth. At the time of their eventual relegation, only Arsenal, Liverpool and Everton could claim to have amassed a longer tenure in top-flight English football than Coventry. Their only major trophy came in 1987 when they beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 to win the FA Cup many people classed it as the best FA Cup Final still today. They also reached two League Cup semi-finals in 1981 and 1989.
From 1899 to 2005, Coventry City played at the Highfield Road stadium. During the 1980s it became the first all-seater stadium in English football, but by the end of the following decade the club's directors decided it was time to build a bigger stadium and chose a site in the Foleshill area of the city. The Ricoh Arena was opened in August 2005.
Their football academy, based in southeast Coventry at The Alan Higgs Centre, owned by the Alan Higgs Trust, was opened in September 2004.[1][2]
[edit] History
- See also: History of Coventry City F.C.
[edit] A Brief History
- 1883 - The club was founded by employees of Singers, the cycle firm.
- 1898 - The club's name was changed from Singers F.C. to Coventry City.
- 1899 - Coventry moved to Highfield Road following stints at Dowells Field and Stoke Road.
- 1901 - City suffered their worst ever defeat with a disappointing 11-2 loss against Berwick Rangers in the qualifying round of the FA Cup.
- 1919 - The Sky Blues given entry for the first time into the Football League, a place where they have remained ever since.
- 1928 - In the cold of February and with Coventry struggling near the base of Division Three South, the club's worst ever attendance was recorded. Only 2,059 turned up for the match against Crystal Palace.
- 1934 - This was the year City made their biggest ever victory. It was a 9-0 league drubbing of Bristol City.
- 1958 - Alf Wood became the oldest ever player to start a game for Coventry. He played against Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup aged 44 years and 207 days.
- 1964 - Jimmy Hill guided Coventry to promotion from Division Three (now Football League One).
- 1967 - Coventry City promoted from Division Two to the top flight for the first time in their history. This made manager, and BBC Sport presenter Jimmy Hill a legend at the club. Coventry's record attendance was also set in this year - 51,455 against Wolverhampton Wanderers, the team which Coventry would only just finish above at the top of the table.
- 1970 - Coventry qualified for the European Fairs Cup but lost 7-3 on aggregate in the 2nd round to Bayern Munich, despite winning the second leg 2-1 at Highfield Road.
- 1987 - The Sky Blues won the FA Cup, beating Tottenham Hotspur in the final. It is their only major trophy to date. They were runners-up to Everton in August in the Community Shield. Coventry also won the FA Youth Cup in this year.
- 2001 - Coventry relegated from the FA Premier League after 34 years in the first tier.
- 2003 - Ben Mackey, Coventry's youngest player to start a match, played against Ipswich Town aged 16 years and 167 days.
- 2005 - Coventry relocated to the 32,609 seater Ricoh Arena after 106 years at Highfield Road.
- 2007 - Coventry narrowly avoided administration when Ray Ranson took over the club at the last minute.
- 2008 - The club celebrates its 125th anniversary and avoids relegation to League One despite being crushed 4-1 at Charlton on the final day of the season.
[edit] Former Players Association
In February 2007 a Former Players Association was launched. Set up by club historian Jim Brown, former 1980s player Sebastian Harrison and a committee of enthusiastic volunteers, its aim was to bring former players of the club together and cherish their memories. Around 50 former stars of the club attended the launch including Coventry City legends George Hudson, Cyrille Regis, Charlie Timmins, Sebastian Harrison and Bill Glazier. By February 2008 almost 120 former players had joined the association. The association's first newsletter was published in autumn 2007 and a website www.ccfpa.co.uk had been launched.
[edit] Sky Blue Sam
Sky Blue Sam is Coventry City's mascot. Famed for his (or her) acrobatics, including forward rolls and backflips. He is also been reported to have made repeated "croud surfs" through angry fans after a 5-1 loss to Man Utd in 1995.
[edit] Sky Blue anthem
The club song was written in 1962 by manager Jimmy Hill and director John Camkin. It was launched at the home game with Colchester on 22 December 1962 (a match abandoned at half-time because of fog)with the words printed in the programme. It quickly became popular with supporters during the epic FA Cup run in 1963 when the Third Division team reached the Sixth Round of the FA Cup before losing to eventual winners Manchester United. To the tune of the Eton Boating Song:
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Original:
- Let's all sing together
- Play up, Sky Blues
- While we sing together
- We will never lose
- Proud Posh or Cobblers
- Oysters or anyone
- They shan't defeat us
- We'll fight 'til the game is won!
- City! City! City!
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Present:
- Let's all sing together
- Play up, Sky Blues
- While we sing together
- We will never lose
- Tottenham or Chelsea
- United or anyone
- They shan't defeat us
- We'll fight 'til the game is won!
- City! City! City!
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[edit] Stadium
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[edit] Grounds
[edit] 106 years at Highfield Road
Coventry City began playing at the Highfield Road stadium in 1899, although the club did not buy the freehold to the site until 1937. The record crowd at the ground was on 29 April 1967 when 51,452 watched the Second Division title decider against Wolverhampton Wanderers. This was more than 6,000 more than the previous record set against Aston Villa in 1938. The ground has an interesting history. In 1940 it was bombed by Luftwaffe planes. In 1968, the main stand burnt down and new stand to replace it built within four months. In 1981, Highfield Road was converted into England's first ever all-seater stadium with a capacity of just under 21,000.[citation needed] It had been gradually upgraded since then, with the final phase of work being completed in the mid-1990s, including fully-enclosed corners. The final game played at the stadium was against Derby County F.C. on 30 April 2005, with Coventry winning the game with a 6–2 scoreline. On an emotional day, the final goal at Highfield Road was fittingly scored by a homegrown youngster Andrew Whing. Other goals came from Trinidad and Tobago international Stern John, Dele Adebola, and Coventry-born player Gary McSheffrey. [1], who scored two of the goals. One of these was from a penalty given away by the ex-City captain Mo Konjic
[edit] Relocating to Ricoh Arena
For the 2005–06 season, Coventry City moved to the new 32,609 capacity [2] Ricoh Arena after 106 years at Highfield Road. In 1998, the club had decided that it was time to relocate to a new stadium in the Foleshill area of the city, three miles north of the city centre and close to the M6 motorway. The original plan was for a state-of-the-art 45,000-seater, multipurpose stadium with removable pitch and retractable roof. It was due to be ready for the 2001–02 season. However, relegation, financial problems, financier/contractor withdrawals and England's failure to secure the 2006 World Cup competition led to a radical redesign. Despite initiating the project and being the principal attraction there, Coventry City's financial situation means that they no longer own the stadium and must pay rent to use it.
The stadium naming rights were originally sold to Jaguar Cars which has strong links with Coventry. Jaguar Cars pulled out of the project on December 16, 2004 and a new major sponsor was needed. A £10 million deal, which included naming rights, was signed and electronics manufacturer Ricoh became the new chief sponsor for the stadium. The project was funded largely by Coventry City Council & the (Alan Edward) Higgs Charity (of which former CCFC and current ACL director Sir Derek Higgs is a trustee), and includes shopping facilities, a casino, exhibition halls and a concert venue.
At the beginning of the 2005-06 season, construction delays at the ground forced Coventry City to play their first three games of the season away and postpone their home games. On Saturday 20 August 2005, City hosted Queens Park Rangers F.C. in the first-ever game at the Ricoh Arena. Coventry won the game 3–0, the first goal at the Ricoh Arena being scored by Claus Bech Jorgensen, with an 11th-minute diving header. Dele Adebola then added two more for the Sky Blues.
[edit] Ricoh records
The Ricoh Arena's highest attendance for a football match is 30,919, which was for the U21 European Championship play-off between England and Germany on 6 October 2006, which England won 1-0, with a strike from Leighton Baines, although the Rugby Heineken cup semi-final between Munster and Saracens attracted a larger crowd. The record attendance for a Coventry City match is 28,163 for the FA Cup game against West Bromwich Albion on 16th February 2008 which ended in a 0-5 defeat. Goals from Chris Brunt, Zoltan Gera, Ishmael Miller and a brace from Roman Bednar sealed a quarter-final spot for the Baggies. The highest league attendance is 27,992 for the game against Wolverhampton Wanderers on April 26, 2008 in the Coca-Cola Championship which was drawn 1–1 . The highest score at the Ricoh Arena was 6-1 against Derby County on 21 January 2006. The final game of the season was against Cardiff City. A request to build a 'supercasino' was rejected; a smaller casino was built; located underneath the exhibition halls.
[edit] International use
The Ricoh Arena was used for an England U21 match against Germany U21s in a European U21 Championship qualifying play-off on 6 October 2006, a match which also set the stadium's record attendance. The match resulted in a 1–0 win for the England team with a goal from Leighton Baines.
As of July 2007, Coventry City extended their pitch at the Ricoh Arena, so the pitch is now suitable for high-profile international matches and Champions League games. The pitch has state-of-the-art laser socketed guiding system, designed to give precise pitch markings. [3] The pitch which now measures 105m x 68.6m is up to FIFA Category 3 status. [4]
[edit] Ricoh used for Rugby
The Ricoh has held three Heineken Cup matches at the Ricoh arena. The fist between Wasps and Northampton, the second a pool stage match between Wasps and Munster and the most recent was the 2008 semi final between Munster and Saracens which was won by Munster. The semi final between Munster and Saracens was also the record attendance at the Ricoh Arena with over 30000 fans at the game.
[edit] Current squad
[edit] Seasonal Match Facts
[edit] Season 2007/2008
Football League Championship - Match Facts
FA Cup - Match Facts
Football League Cup - Match Facts
[edit] Club officials
[edit] Boardroom
- President: Mike McGinnity
- Chairman: Ray Ranson
- Head Director: Joe Elliot
- Commercial Director: Ken Sharp
- Financial Director:
- Club Secretary: Roger Brinsford
- Retail Manager: Karen Bennett
- Commercial Manager: Raj Athwal
- Financial Controller: John Street
- Grounds Manager: Michael Finch
- Community Officer: David Busst
- Club Statistician: Jim Brown
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[edit] Coaching staff
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[edit] Awards and honours
[edit] Player of the Year
[edit] Top goalscorers
(Number of goals scored in all competitions in brackets)
[edit] Most appearances
(Number of appearances in all competitions in brackets)
[edit] Club honours
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| Coventry 1987 FA Cup Winners |
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[edit] Competition best-placings
[edit] Players
See also Category:Coventry City F.C. players
[edit] Players who have represented their country
Current club in brackets. **Indicates capped whilst with club.
- Australia
- Belgium
- Bermuda
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Cameroon
- Denmark
- England
- Faroe Islands
- Ghana
- Honduras
- Iceland
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- Ireland
- Jamaica
- Malta
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Northern Ireland
- Norway
- Peru
- Romania
- Scotland
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- Senegal
- Sweden
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Uruguay
- USA
- Wales
- Zimbabwe
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[edit] Official Hall Of Fame
[edit] Notable recent players
[edit] Player records
[edit] Managers
See also Category:Coventry City F.C. managers
 William Stanley (1883-1885)- Hary Hathaway (1885-1887)
- J.G Morgan (1887-1892)
- Teddy Kirk (1893)
- George Maley (1893)
- Joe Collins (1893-1895)
- Tom Cashmore (1895-1900)
- B. Newhall (1900-1902)
 Michael O'Shea (1902-1905)- Joe Beaman (1905-1908)
- Walter Harris (1908-1909)
- Harry Buckle (1909-1911)
- Robert Wallace & committee (1911-1914)
- Frank Scott-Walford & committee (1914-1915)
- H.Howard & committee (1915-1916)
- William Clayton (1917-1919)
- Harry Pollitt (1919-1920)
- Albert Evans (1920-1924)
- Harry Harbourne (caretaker) (1924-1925)
- James Kerr (1925-1928)
- VACANT (March 1928-June 1928)
- Jimmy McIntyre (1928-1931)
- William Slade (caretaker) (1931)
- Harry Storer (1931-1945)
- Dick Bayliss (1945-1947)
- VACANT (April 1947-June 1947)
- Billy Frith (1947-1948)
- Harry Storer (1948-1953)
- VACANT (November 1953-January 1954)
- Jack Fairbrother (1954)
- Charlie Elliott (caretaker) (1954-1955)
- Jesse Carver (1955)
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[edit] Local rivals
Coventry's rival clubs include:
[edit] Other Information
[edit] References
- ^ Announcement of the club's new badge from icCoventry.co.uk
- ^ Fan reaction to the proposed new badge (icCoventry.co.uk)
- ^ Micky Adams leaves the club (Sky Sports)
[edit] External links
Coventry City Football Club
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| English football league system – Level 2 |
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| League competitions |
The FA |
Cup competitions |
| Premier League |
England (B) (C) |
FA Cup |
| The Football League (Champ, 1, 2) |
(U-21) (U-20) (U-19) |
Football League Cup |
| Football Conference (Nat, N, S) |
(U-18) (U-17) (U-16) |
FA Community Shield |
| Northern Premier (Prem, 1N, 1S) |
List of clubs |
Football League Trophy |
| Southern League (Prem, 1Mid, 1S&W) |
List of venues |
FA Trophy |
| Isthmian League (Prem, 1N, 1S) |
(by capacity) |
Conference League Cup |
| English football league system |
List of leagues |
FA Vase |
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Records |
FA NLS Cup |
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Foreign players |
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Chris Coleman
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