Oh - and I forgot to say, "at least they're not a flaccid self-deluding bunch of has-beens with an inflated sense of their own importance clearly at odds with their current status".
I always remember the Coventry game in our first season in the championship.
It was Powells last ever game for us and the fairytale goal he scored. It was the first time I saw Shelvey play. It was amazing to see a 16 year old kid play against a championship team fighting for survival and tear thema new arsehole.
Coventry have averaged just over 14000 this season, in a league containing local(ish) Birmingham, Leicester, Forest, Derby, Peterboro, and then teams like Saints, West Ham Leeds who have decent following. Imagine home games next season, that's going to make a huge financial impact. Don't think they've much of a playing squad either, although Cody Macdonald is there. Portsmouth may not exist much longer in my opinion.
I think it was Matt Tees that Curtis knocked into the stand.
It was Matt Tees. I don't think Curtis even had his name taken (well before yellow/red cards). Fair play to Lino Matt, he just got up and got on with it. In many ways, Coventry is not dissimilar to Charlton in that they play in an area that's overcrowded with good clubs, yet still manage to perform well and to punch above their weight. Surviving in the 2nd division/championship for 40+ years, winning the cup and having a few good seasons in the top division is not to be sniffed at. The foundations of the success were laid by Jimmy Hill who insisted on Highfield Road being the first all seater stadium. As has been mentioned above, the move to a new and over ambitiously large stadium has crippled the club, seats, boxes and banqueting suites at the expense of the playing and management staff. Not unlike Arsenal.
Its somewhat ironic Coventry getting relegated on the 20th anniversary of the premier league. When the premiership was first created, its detractors were saying "What will happen to the likes of Wimbledon, Luton and Coventry in twenty years time?"
Now we know. Wimbledon doesnt exist anymore. Luton are an slightly above average non league team. Coventry are now in the old second division, with no ground of there own,crippling debts and a very bleak future.
Its somewhat ironic Coventry getting relegated on the 20th anniversary of the premier league. When the premiership was first created, its detractors were saying "What will happen to the likes of Wimbledon, Luton and Coventry in twenty years time?"
Now we know. Wimbledon doesnt exist anymore. Luton are an slightly above average non league team. Coventry are now in the old second division, with no ground of there own,crippling debts and a very bleak future.
good points .. only zillionaire sponsored/owned clubs will win anything major in future .. until the 'Euro League proper' comes into being at any rate and the internal national leagues will be a more even playing field .. but, money has always 'talked', does so now, and will continue to so do in the future. The start of big monied big bully clubs was the abolition of the maximum wage .. ironically Jimmy Hill of Coventry fame was the main instigator of that major upheaval
Its somewhat ironic Coventry getting relegated on the 20th anniversary of the premier league. When the premiership was first created, its detractors were saying "What will happen to the likes of Wimbledon, Luton and Coventry in twenty years time?"
Now we know. Wimbledon doesnt exist anymore. Luton are an slightly above average non league team. Coventry are now in the old second division, with no ground of there own,crippling debts and a very bleak future.
Comments
Apologies for the tautology.
It was Powells last ever game for us and the fairytale goal he scored. It was
the first time I saw Shelvey play. It was amazing to see a 16 year old kid play
against a championship team fighting for survival and tear thema new arsehole.
When the premiership was first created, its detractors were saying "What will happen to the likes of Wimbledon, Luton and Coventry in twenty years time?"
Now we know.
Wimbledon doesnt exist anymore.
Luton are an slightly above average non league team.
Coventry are now in the old second division, with no ground of there own,crippling debts and a very bleak future.