Spread the love

 

Coventry are banging the goals but everything is not alright at home at the moment. BillytheBee catches up with CovSupport News Service about Jimmy’s Hill, their refuelled hatred for Northampton and away-day fiestas

What was your first match?

A 1-0 defeat to Newcastle in 1969.

Ah … So you remember your team playing the classic Coventry ‘train track’ home kit. One of the most unique strips ever. I thought it was brilliant. Just like Crystal Palace’s classic red sash. Does this strip bring back any good memories?

The kit was around when City just missed out on a place in Europe and loved seeing the likes of Terry Yorath in that kit as well as Ian Wallace and Mick Ferguson partnership which brought over fifty goals in one season.

On the pitch Coventry have had an excellent start to the season winning four games including Bristol City and Colchester and drawing two. How has it gone

After a summer of discontent, there needed to be some positivity and some hope and thankfully, it has come on the pitch. Steven Pressley has turned his side into a team of battlers who, in the words of our club song, who ‘fight till the game is won’ That was certainly proved with the game against Bristol City and Preston North End, where City kept going to the end and got their rewards.

The most encouraging sign must be you’re scoring goals racking up 5 against Bristol City and 4 against Preston and Carlisle.

Goalscoring has been a problem over the years for City but Callum Wilson who showed his promise for City U21’s last season has maintained that this season by banging in the goals with other players chipping in like Franck Moussa who scored an absolute stunner against Port Vale. It is also highly encouraging the City are creating more chances than in previous seasons as well.

Granted that the defence needs to tighten up but to use the old adage, they are a work in progress and the more games they play as a unit, the better they will get.

Did you lose any players in the close season.

Finances at the club meant that the big earners including the likes of Richard Wood and Gary McSheffrey have all been shipped out and they have been replaced by youngsters, who have deserved their chance to showcase their talents.

A lot of fans are confused as to how Coventry are able to pick up players after going into administration and being banned. Can you talk us through that one. Are the new owners backing you?

With a third consecutive transfer embargo and administration, signing players has been restricted to a Football League agreed deal whereby City can only bring in players if they sell. SISU are bankrolling the club’s losses which are around the £70k a week mark

Did you pick any players up?

Striker Mathieu Manset and defenders Andy Webster and Stuart Urquhart are the only three that have joined the Sky Blues this season.

What’s your style of playing? Who are your key players? How will you line up against the Bees ?

City have a number of injuries so things are expected to change. A lot will depend on what Steven Pressley thought of Brentford on Monday night as to whether tactics need to be changed to counter the likes of Clayton Donaldson and Will Grigg or if the Sky Blues will continue to play attacking football (don’t think they will have learned much on Monday as the team threw their cards in early. BillytheBee)

Off the pitch it’s all looking a wee bit fraught. Tensions have mounted since your move to Northampton. Give us a brief synopsis of what went down and where you are at.

City moved into the Ricoh Arena having sold their half share to a local charity and agreed a deal which restricted their income to just match tickets, programmes and sponsorship. Obvious to everyone, this deal was a recipe for disaster and the club twice avoided administration before SISU took over in 2007. SISU not funding the manager saw the team relegated to League One. Last season, the club refused to pay their rent, negotiations and talks came to nothing and so started the turning of a molehill into a massive mountain. SISU placed CCFC Ltd into administration and then one of their companies which included the directors of CCFC Ltd were sold the rights to CCFC Ltd by the Administrator Paul Appleton who had been appointed by SISU.

Listening to nobody and infuriating the support, City CEO Tim Fisher, a man rightly blamed by many for his failures, moved the club out of its home for just short of 130 years to Northampton in a 3-5 year deal. There is talk of a new stadium just outside the City of Coventry limits but at the moment, it is just that – talk.

Will you return to Coventry do you think in the near future?

Probably not unless something dramatic happens and SISU get the ownership of the Ricoh Arena they have been after all along at a price they want

Interestingly, there were 1700 total fans at Northampton for your ‘home’ game against Colchester but 1500 Coventry fans travelled to Shrewsbury for an away match. Are away games a bit of a fiesta with so few fans at home games?

The majority of fans won’t go or cannot get to Northampton, which is not the easier ground to get to by public transport on a Sunday, or pay for travel after the club opted against free coaches, so are staying away or just going to an away game. Consequently, away followings have been excellent this season with over 3,000 at Port Vale and selling out every ticket at Shrewsbury.

Do many fans watch the game from what has been dubbed “Jimmy’s Hill” – the hill overlooking Northampton’s ground?

Some fans, go to every game and stand on the hill whilst others have done the odd game. The numbers vary on a game by game basis. You can’t see the whole of the pitch no matter where you stand on the hill but for those who do it, being able to see one half of the pitch and see what is going on as it happens without paying is good enough for them.

You have a protest planned for the Sheffield Utd game in a few weeks. Do you know what you’re doing yet? There is some talk of a mass walk out after 5 minutes. Others are talking about a mass demonstration on Jimmy’s Hill.

There has been plenty of talk with some daft ideas and some decent ones, we will see what happens on the day.

Sheffield will probably bring 4000 fans to that game. They’re woeful at the moment but it could become a home game for them which could play to their advantage. How do non-travelling ‘home’ fans balance that up?

There has been some talk about asking Sheffield United supporters to show solidarity and boycott the game. Having more away fans than home fans does bring an un-surreal atmosphere to proceedings but with the way things are, this is to be expected.

Traditionally Villa were your big rivals. Is that still the case. Leicester come close surely?

Depending on what part of Coventry you came from dictated who you classed as local rivals. Leicester were always the rivals for those living on the East side and Villa for those on the West side. Northampton, who were rivals from the 1960’s, have become rivals again after agreeing to host City matches and many will take great pleasure if Aidy Boothroyd takes Northampton into the Conference.

What was the best ‘rivals’ game you have been to?

Without doubt, the 4-1 win at Aston Villa

Head to head, Coventry are just shading it winning 17 games to the Bees’ 14 with 11 games drawn. Do you think you’ll continue your run?

Had this game been played in Coventry then statistically City would be more likely to win but Brentford have a good record at Sixfields so something might have to give.

Give us a score prediction

If City are as injury ravaged as some reports say then 1-1.

We know Northampton isn’t exactly your manor but do you recommend any away fans hang outs out pre-match?

Many City supporters would prefer visiting supporters not boost the economy of Northampton and eat and drink out of the county before getting to the game and getting out on the final whistle (for Brentford fans in the area desperate for a drink and aiming to meet friends, the characterless TGI Fridays has been designated the ‘home’ pub and in town, the Malt Shovel Tavern has been mentioned … I’d say everyone will be leaving sharpish after the game. BillytheBee)

Thanks for CovSupport News Service for taking time out to give us the low-down on Coventry’s ups and downs. You can follow them on twitter @CovSupportNews