ScottIsAFool: CCFC

I'm A Wreck!

Sun, 04 May 2008 15:25:59 GMT

It was the last match of the season today for Coventry. We were going into the match in the best position of all the teams in the relegation dog fight. A draw would see us safe no matter what anyone else did. A draw. So naturally Coventry got thumped 4-1 at Charlton, which meant we needed to rely on results of other matches. That is never something you want.

Fortunately, the position we were in at the start of play meant that we only needed one match from about four to go our way (not including our own). And anyone that was following my Twitter throughout the 90 minutes will know what a crazy roller coaster ride that was! It was some real nervy times, and not good for the heart.

With 10 minutes left, Leicester were in the relegation zone, drawing 0-0 with Stoke. One goal. Just one goal is all Leicester needed. If they got that, then City went into the relegation zone, and with our score at 4-1, there was no way we would survive.

All I can say is, I'm glad Leicester have had issues scoring this season (although the reports I heard suggest that they should have had a penalty, boo hoo). The important thing is Coventry survived. Just. I can now get back to repairing all my damaged nerves!

All Is Right In The World

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 15:54:05 GMT

The Board of Coventry City Football Club is pleased to announce that the terms of the offer made for the Club by SISU Capital, which is led by Ray Ranson, have been accepted.

Get in there!!!

I love my Coventry City.

Whilst writing this I was listening to Michelle Branch - Everywhere

PS, I've been doing a few things over the last few weeks, gigs etc, promise to write about them soon. In fact, looking at my drafts in Windows Live Writer, I see one I started a couple of weeks back...

Black Day

Mon, 03 Dec 2007 14:57:47 GMT

"The Board of Coventry City Football Club can confirm that it has today filed in court notices of intent to go into administration."

http://www.ccfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10269~1181999,00.html

Today is a dark day in Coventry City's history I have now changed the theme of my blog (temporarily) as a sign of mourning.

Whilst writing this I was listening to Meat Loaf - Bat Out Of Hell

Oh City We Love You

Fri, 28 Sep 2007 17:35:11 GMT

"Hopefully this is just a temporary blip, and we'll start playing quality football, starting on Wednesday at Old Trafford.... Well, it could happen "

That's how I finished my post when I had been quite cross with Coventry for under-performing against Bristol and our woeful performance against Ipswich. Well. That all changed on Wednesday night at Old Trafford against the Premiership champions. It was an awesome night, and one that will stay with me for many years and was easily the best footballing night of my life.

We came, we played, we conquered. Whatever problems we had in defense against Bristol and Ipswich were gone, we defended brilliantly, hardly giving United a sniff of goal. We took the lead on 27 minutes thanks to Michael Mifsud, and that sent all 11,000 travelling fans into a state of delirium, we couldn't believe it. Then five minutes later we could have been 2-0 up, but for the frame of the goal.

Ferguson made two half time substitutions, but they made little impact, and neither did the third that he made not long after the restart. The Coventry fans were singing their hearts out, drowning out the other 60,000+ Manchester fans, and we were given even more to cheer about when we did go 2-0 up thanks again to Michael Mifsud. Mifsud had caused the United defenders no end of problems throughout the match and always looked likely to score again. And a few minutes before the end, he should have done, firing just wide.

Then came the final whistle. We had done it. Coventry had beaten the champions, and beaten them well. It was awesome. Nothing I have seen has come close to being that good. Just unbelievable.

What will interest me now is whether Dowie sticks with that starting 11 when Charlton come to the Ricoh tomorrow.... Guess we'll find out.

Go City!!

Oh, I also took some pictures which are in the usual place, but one interesting one to note is this one:

I used the stitching feature in Windows Live Photo Gallery to stitch together four pictures I had taken to make this one excellent panoramic picture

The goals from Wednesday night

Bloody Coventry

Sun, 23 Sep 2007 21:11:59 GMT

Ok, so as you know, I went up to Coventry last weekend for their match against Bristol. What is it about Coventry? Do the players know when I'm coming and decide "we must play shit"? Cos that's what they did! Ok, we had three cleared off the line, but come on! The manner in which we conceded the goals was stupid, we were never a team that should have lost 3-0, but neither were we a team that played well. So once again, been up and seen them lose.

City were then on the telly last night away to Ipswich. If I thought things had been bad watching the Bristol game, I was soon to find out I was wrong! They were awful. We had one, just one, solitary shot on target, and that was in the 70th minute! Ok, we scored with that shot, but by that point, we were already 4-0 down, so it was merely a consolation goal for us. In the last seven days we've played three matches and got just one point from them, it's crap! Hopefully this is just a temporary blip, and we'll start playing quality football, starting on Wednesday at Old Trafford.... Well, it could happen

Guess I'll find out...

Upcoming Coventry Matches

Sat, 08 Sep 2007 16:08:04 GMT

Well, I'm going up to Coventry to watch the home game against Bristol City, which is going to be odd, as this fixture was the last match I went to last season, but that was when we got knocked out the cup by Bristol and they were in the division below us at that point. I never went to another City match that season due to just how poor we were playing.

But with Dowie now in charge he seems to have turned things around and we're now winning matches we normally lose, and we're riding high at the top of the league . So off up for the Bristol game I go. After that comes the next match I'm gonna get a ticket for: the League cup meeting between Coventry and Manchester United at Old Trafford!! I am so going to that match. Tickets on sale next Thursday, I'll be getting mine .

Coventry: Top Of The League

Sun, 12 Aug 2007 14:31:49 GMT

I kid you not!!

And just to add icing on the cake:

Look where Southampton are It was a good day in football yesterday

Coventry City (Allegedly) vs Bristol City (F.A. Cup 3rd Round Replay)

Wed, 17 Jan 2007 16:31:24 GMT

Coventry went crashing out of the FA Cup last night, losing 2-0 to Bristol in the replay from 10 days ago. All I can say is Bristol were lucky. Now, I know you might be thinking, of course he would say that, "The ref was on their side," "one of their goals was offside", something like that. Lucky. Well, I'll tell you why they were lucky: if they had been picked against a team that could actually play football, then they might not have gone through and would have had a real game on their hands. As it was, they were up against a group of men who falsely believe they are footballers. It was a shamble.

I was trying desperately throughout the whole match trying to remember why it was I wanted to go up and watch this match, and I thought the same thing after Saturday's game (although I wasn't there) as I knew I was going to the match last night. In the league, we have acquired just one point in 7 matches, and have one once in 10. Not good.

And hardly surprising, Micky Adams, the (now former) manager, has been sacked. Some people are arguing that it's the players' fault, not Adams'. But to those people I say, "Who is in charge of getting the best out of the players?" Simply: Adams. It is his job to manage the players, to get them playing like a team, and quite frankly, they aren't. So we're better off without him and get someone new in who can help make sure we don't get dragged into a relegation battle.

Whilst I was driving home, a couple of names were mentioned on the radio as potential replacements: Iain Dowie and Gary McAllister. Either of them could be an interesting choice. I guess we'll have to wait and see. In the meantime it's Plymouth away next Monday, so we need to get something from that.

F.A. Cup - Bristol City vs. Coventry City

Sat, 06 Jan 2007 22:39:49 GMT

Yup, it's that time of year again, the time when the minnows of football get to play against the big boys in the top division. Unfortunately for Bristol City they got picked to play against Coventry, so no glamourous tie there! Bristol at the moment are riding high in League 1 whereas Coventry... well, let's not go there shall we, it's depressing .

This match could be the one to pick our boys up and propell us onto better things in the league, to boost our confidence. If only. We took the lead on the 12th minute and things looked like they were going to go our way, Bristol hadn't been in the match at all. That is until the 13th minute when they equalised! By the 21st minute, Coventry were 3-1 down after we had initially taken that lead. A combination of woeful defending and dubious linesman decisions had put the Robins with a two goal advantage. To their credit, City didn't give up and soon made it 3-2, the game now really open could have swung either way.

The second half was much of the same really, end to end stuff, heart in mouth action for both sets of fans. Fortunately for us, Stern John put us level with 9 minutes left on the clock. With time running out though, there was still time for Bristol to almost make every Coventry fan sick, with a flurry of chances in the dying minutes. And so it finished 3-3, with the replay set for the 16th January at the Ricoh Arena.

I would have liked to see how the game had gone if the ref hadn't given Bristol's second goal, which from where I was stood, the ball hadn't fully gone over the line (tonight's Match Of The Day should clear that up). But the worrying thing wasn't the poor referring (of which there was many), but of Coventry's diabolical defending. Before Christmas, City had the second best defensive record in the Championship, since then (16th December), Coventry have conceded 14 goals in 6 games. This is not a good indication of how the rest of the season going, it is clear relegation form! We need to buy some new players in now that the transfer market has opened again, and we need some new blood in soon, before its Micky Adams blood the fans will be after.

Pictures I took:

More pictures (pictures from the Bristol City website).

Whilst writing this, I was listening to Def Leppard - It Could Be You

Bloody Coventry

Sat, 11 Nov 2006 21:31:06 GMT

Went up to Coventry for the Derby match this afternoon. What a big disappointment! If City are to do anything this season then they must start taking their chances! Derby created almost nothing and got two goals, we created hatfulls of chances and only took one of the them. This is now our third home defeat in a row and the fans are getting restless! The players have to stand up and be accounted for and starting putting away their chances! We have one of the best defensive records in the Championship, and unfortunately, we also have the worst scoring record as well. Typical!!

Whilst writing this, I was listening to Lenny Kravitz - I Don't Want To Be A Star.

Coventry's Start to the Season

Sat, 19 Aug 2006 22:53:33 GMT

The start of this season has been odd; out of the first four games, I have seen three of them live. Ok, I have only been to one of them, but I watched the Sunderland match and the Leicester match on the telly. Thus far, we haven't been doing too well in terms of results, with the exception of the Leicester match, City have actually played really well and been unlucky not to take points from Southampton and Cardiff.

Admittedly, the whole Leicester match and the build up to it was marred by City's sale of McSheffrey to Birmingham for £4m, but there we go, such is the life of a football club!

I still have a very good feeling about this season, and with the new Morrocan we have, and a few of the youngsters we have on our books, I still feel that we have the potential to be up there in the playoffs. This is just a temporary set back, nothing to worry about.

Whilst writing this, I was listening to Red Hot Chili Peppers - Strip My Mind.

Southampton vs Coventry

Thu, 10 Aug 2006 14:24:18 GMT

Last night saw me at St Mary's Stadium to watch Coventry play Southampton. City hoping to carry on with their impressive performance against Sunderland on Sunday. City started off well, forcing two corners in the first 3 minutes. Throughout the first half, City had their chances, and Southampton had a couple of chances, but we were the more dominant team all the way through the first period.

In the second half City were caught napping and giving Saints a lot more freedom to move, which gave them confidence to push forward more. They were also then starting to win a lot more of the challenges. Southampton were then awarded a free kick 30 yards out when the Coventry player had clearly taken the ball and not the player, but the ref gave the free kick. Bale then put away an unstoppable free kick to make it 1-0 to the home side.

Coventry carried on pushing forward, creating a couple more chances for Stern John, but we couldn't find the back of the net. Then with only a few minutes to go, Raziak decided to practice swimming and took a dive in the City box, and the ref was completely fooled and awarded a penalty. Raziak then put it away passed Marshall to make it 2-0. The scoreline looks good for Southampton, but at the end of the day, they got two crucial decisions go in their favour. But City are going to have to take their chances if we are to stand a chance of making the Playoffs this year.

My New City Shirt

Thu, 27 Jul 2006 22:13:44 GMT

Last post for today, I promise . Whilst I was away, Coventry's new football kit got released and I had mine on pre-order, so it was there waiting for me when I got back, complete with 20 and FERRET on the back . I have attached a picture.

Coventry's New Strip

Sat, 10 Jun 2006 23:11:55 GMT

This week, Coventry City showcased their new home shirt for next season. We have changed kit suppliers to Puma, looks very retro actually...

Whilst writing this, I was listening to: Ozzy Osbourne - I Don´t Want To Change The World

About Bloody Time!! Coventry vs Cardiff

Tue, 02 May 2006 11:00:13 GMT

After seven and a half years, Sunday finally saw me at a Coventry game and seeing them win . It was the last match of the season against Cardiff. We played well, looked a little suspect at the back at times, and Shaw was slightly at fault for their goal, but overall we did enough to get the 3 points and win 3-1. I was over the moon I can tell you! Every match I have been to over the last few years has either been a draw or a defeat. So I'm one very happy bunny .

City finished 8th in the end, just two places below the playoffs, making this season the best season since we got relegated from the Premiership. Let's hope this is the start and that next year we build on it some more and make a push for the playoffs next year.

PS Also, the seat I was in was only a little bit further along from where I will be sat for the Bon Jovi gig, and the view was brilliant, it should be a good night!

Coventry vs Southampton [Updated]

Wed, 01 Mar 2006 17:15:22 GMT

Well, Saturday will see the away match at St Mary's against Southampton. This is a match that my dad and I have had marked on our calendar since the fixture list got publish back in August. Why? Well this is the closest match to where we live, with Southampton being just a half hour down the road. Will be the first time I've been to St Mary's, so it should be interesting. I'll update this blog after the match.

[Updated 05/03/02]

The match was a bit of a scrappy affair, neither team really conjuring up some decent football. That said, Coventry did have the better chances in the first half and could have easily taken the lead. As it was, we went into half time at 0-0, which considering our away form at the moment, most of the travelling city fans would take that.

The second half Southampton managed to get a little bit more possession than they did in the first half and actually managed to get a couple of shots in, but nothing that really tested Fulop in the city goal. The match remained scrappy and both sides managed to patch together a couple of shots each. Then on the 80th minute Raziak flicked a header on into the box heading goalwards, which the defender on the line could have easily just headed out, the only trouble was, the player on the line was Dennis Wise, and he isn't the biggest player in the world, and so Southampton had fluked their way into the lead, which at the time had been against the run of play. So it looked like we were about to suffer another away defeat. Then in the last few minutes, city pushed forward and got awarded a penalty for a clumsy challenge on Don Hutchinson. Hutchinson stepped up and buried the penalty, making it 1-1.

I think overall, a draw was a fair result, neither team really deserved to lose, but having said that, Saints were lucky with their goal. So that's four draws and one defeat I've seen this season. I'll see them win one of these days...

Middlesbrough vs Coventry City [edited]

Sat, 04 Feb 2006 14:45:52 GMT

Well, I have my ticket booked for the FA Cup replay in Middlesbrough on Wednesday night. Gotta drive up to Coventry and then it's a coach from Coventry up to Boro with the rest of the travelling Sky Blue Army. When I get back to work on Thursday afternoon, I'll update this entry with a my thoughts of the match. Hopefully they will be thoughts of where I will be off to next in the Cup, either Preston North End, or Crystal Palace, as it means City beat Boro. Here's to hoping....

[Edited 09/02/05]:

Well, City went out of the Cup last night in what was an even contest really. Middlesbrough won 1-0 with the solitary goal coming after 20 minutes. I feel it was a goalkeeping error for their goal, Fulop should have carried on coming for the ball, he would have beaten Hasselbaink easily, but he stopped and got rounded, allowing Hasselbaink to easily slot home. Our defence in the first half was shaky at best; going forward a lot of our passes were loose, just going out of play for a throw in. That said, there weren't many changes from either side. City dominated the opening 1/3 of the half but then boro took a lot more of the posession.

The second half was more promising for us, but still lacked that final bit of creativity to get that elusive goal. City forced Schwartzer to make a brilliant save at the end of the match. Was a disappointing result and Coventry really should have done better against a team that is almost certainly going to get relegated if they continue the way they are.

The evening was slightly marred by some of the stupid Coventry fans who seemed to have gone up looking for a fight. Makes you really annoyed to be associated with dicks like them! Still, it was a good day, and a nice day out of the office for me :) So: until next year's FA Cup...

Coventry vs Middlesbrough

Sat, 28 Jan 2006 23:41:59 GMT

Went up to Coventry today to watch the fourth round tie between the mighty Sky Blues and Boro. Was a cracking match. Coventry were supeb, was just a shame that we couldn't take our chances and make Boro pay for being completely over-run. The final result was 1-1, but we should have had a handful. Boro were awful today and we just didn't capitalise on that. However, on the plus side, saw some very positive stuff from City, if we continue playing like we did today, then we should finish much higher in the league this season and next season should be very interesting, assuming we can keep the same players at the club. Micky Adams seems to be doing a very good job at the club and we are now creating lots of chances, the next step is to start taking those chances. Things are looking up at the Ricoh Arena, things are certainly looking up. I just hope that City can finish the job at the Riverside Stadium on the 8th of Feb, if they do, then I'm off on a cup run, gonna follow City around the country until we reach the final .