Coventry City Former Players Association are very pleased to announce that our member, true ‘Cov kid’ and former Sky Blues player and (twice) manager Bobby Gould will be our ‘special guest’ for the upcoming League Two top five clash between the Sky Blues and Exeter City at the Ricoh this Saturday afternoon. He will be doing the ‘special guest’ stint for us after joining former sixties colleagues and CCFPA members Mick Kearns, Ron Farmer and Dietmar Bruck as guests of CCFC’s Diamond Club at their lunch last Thursday in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the 1966-67 D2 Sky Blues squad who won promotion to the top division of English Football for the first time ever!
‘The Gouldfather’ has had a packed career, A Caludon Castle schoolboy, Bobby joined the Sky Blues as an apprentice in 1962, became a professional two years later and before leaving for Arsenal in February 1968 this rambunctious centre forward had scored a fantastic 42 goals in 89 first team appearances. Similar success followed at Wolves and West Brom before Bristol City got the benefit of 21 goals from 44 appearances from December 1972.
Bobby in contemporary strip
Spells at West Ham, Wolves (again), Bristol Rovers and Aalsund (Denmark) followed before Bobby’s playing career tailed off with Hereford United, Charlton and Aldershot. Bobby retired in 1980 with both two cup winners medals under his belt (Texaco- 1971: F.A.Cup -1975).
Bobby, of course, has also had extensive management experience including twice with CCFC at Highfield Road (1983-84 & 1992-93) and twice in Bristol with the Rovers (1981-83 & 1985-87) as well as memorably taking the ‘Crazy gang’ of Wimbledon FC to F.A.Cup success in 1988, the year after the Sky Blues own success.
Bobby speaking for JH at the Cathedral
Bobby, who always wears his Sky Blue heart on his sleeve spoke emotionally and eloquently at the Coventry Cathedral celebration marking the passing of our late member and Sky Blue managerial icon Jimmy Hill in February 2016. He and wife Marge were unfortunately unable to make our 10th Anniversary Legends Day last April so we are very pleased to see him at the Ricoh again to run the rule over the current Sky Blues! Bobby is also part of a unique CCFPA treble with brother Trevor and son Jonathan both having played for the Sky Blues and both also Association members.
Fans should look out for Bobby in the Family Zone with the JSBs and ‘around the lounges before the game and, after the game, Bobby will be in the Ricoh’s G-Casino with CCFPA’s Billy Bell for an entertaining Q&A from the stage of Lady Gs. If you really can’t make the game yo can turn on the radio, tune into BBC CWR and listen to Bobby’ pearls of wisdom as he assists their live match-day team with commentary and analysis.