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Very few football fanbases have experienced a more dramatic decade than supporters of Coventry City. Nine years ago, the club slipped into League Two in front of four-digit crowds at the cavernous Ricoh Arena. They managed to rebound under Mark Robins, despite constant uncertainty under owners Sisu, and a spell in exile at Birmingham City’s ground for their Championship return in 2020. Three years later, a playoff final between two comeback clubs went the way of Luton, on penalties. And last season, the chief suit, Doug King, decided to replace Robins with Frank Lampard, an unpopular decision justified by a push for promotion that ended in an unlucky playoff semi-final defeat to Sunderland.
Re: ‘Late but well worth it’ (yesterday’s last line, full email edition). Hold-ups on the line. An agonisingly slow tube journey. Dad and I arriving at Brisbane Road well after kick-off on 8 September 1962. Proudly kitted out in my blue scarf knitted by mum, with my blue rattle carpentered by dad (yes, we played in blue then). Barely time to grab a rosette, a hot dog and a bag of roast chestnuts. ‘Hurry up son,’ says the friendly turnstile man. ‘You don’t want to miss this one.’ Nearly 25,000 standing fans crammed into the tiny ground, but generously parting to allow us to move nearer the pitch. Still 0-0 at half-time, Denis Law kept at bay. Floodlights now casting lengthening shadows in the smoky, onion-scented air, cigarettes twinkling across the pitch. Eighty-nine minutes, still no score, then Orient winger Terry McDonald grabs the goal that consigns him to the local pantheon and Matt Busby’s boys to a 1-0 defeat. We may have ended up one-season wonders, but what a day that was” – Max Maxwell.
Erling Haaland, Patron Saint of First World Problems, was right to dedicate the win at Anfield to long-suffering City fans cheering ‘week in, week out’ (yesterday’s News, Bits and Bobs, full email edition). To put their almost-18-month trophy drought into context, a child born the day they won the 2024 Community Shield would today have only marginally more hair and decorum than Ian Holloway” – Rowan Sweeney.
Mike Kilner was the only person who bothered to write a letter (yesterday’s Football Daily letter) and still didn’t win letter o’ the day. Maybe if this letter is published and wins the letter of the day, he can live vicariously through me” – Nigel Sanders.
Continue reading…Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!Very few football fanbases have experienced a more dramatic decade than supporters of Coventry City. Nine years ago, the club slipped into League Two in front of four-digit crowds at the cavernous Ricoh Arena. They managed to rebound under Mark Robins, despite constant uncertainty under owners Sisu, and a spell in exile at Birmingham City’s ground for their Championship return in 2020. Three years later, a playoff final between two comeback clubs went the way of Luton, on penalties. And last season, the chief suit, Doug King, decided to replace Robins with Frank Lampard, an unpopular decision justified by a push for promotion that ended in an unlucky playoff semi-final defeat to Sunderland.Re: ‘Late but well worth it’ (yesterday’s last line, full email edition). Hold-ups on the line. An agonisingly slow tube journey. Dad and I arriving at Brisbane Road well after kick-off on 8 September 1962. Proudly kitted out in my blue scarf knitted by mum, with my blue rattle carpentered by dad (yes, we played in blue then). Barely time to grab a rosette, a hot dog and a bag of roast chestnuts. ‘Hurry up son,’ says the friendly turnstile man. ‘You don’t want to miss this one.’ Nearly 25,000 standing fans crammed into the tiny ground, but generously parting to allow us to move nearer the pitch. Still 0-0 at half-time, Denis Law kept at bay. Floodlights now casting lengthening shadows in the smoky, onion-scented air, cigarettes twinkling across the pitch. Eighty-nine minutes, still no score, then Orient winger Terry McDonald grabs the goal that consigns him to the local pantheon and Matt Busby’s boys to a 1-0 defeat. We may have ended up one-season wonders, but what a day that was” – Max Maxwell.Erling Haaland, Patron Saint of First World Problems, was right to dedicate the win at Anfield to long-suffering City fans cheering ‘week in, week out’ (yesterday’s News, Bits and Bobs, full email edition). To put their almost-18-month trophy drought into context, a child born the day they won the 2024 Community Shield would today have only marginally more hair and decorum than Ian Holloway” – Rowan Sweeney.Mike Kilner was the only person who bothered to write a letter (yesterday’s Football Daily letter) and still didn’t win letter o’ the day. Maybe if this letter is published and wins the letter of the day, he can live vicariously through me” – Nigel Sanders. Continue reading…