The Coventry City Diamond Club held their AGM Luncheon today in the Legends Lounge at the Ricoh Arena.
Over 160 members and guests saw Chairman Tom Dentith and Committee Members Barbara Cassey and Alan Bateman re-elected for another three years.
Secretary Alf Abbey spoke about the lunches over the past year, which have included guest speakers such as City Great Tommy Hutchison and Radio Presenter and former player Alan Brazil and these were also spoken about at length by the Chairman in his report.
Treasurer Maureen O’Neil, then presented the accounts before the AGM ended and an excellent lunch was served by Mark O’Shea and his team.
Joe Elliott, who does so much for the Diamond Club, spoke about the next Diamond Club Lunch in June which has had to be moved to Coventry Rugby Club due to the London Olympic Organising Committee taking over the Arena on June 1 whilst introducing some of the guests including Terry McAuley (Pictured below) who has been stewarding the away coaches since the late 1970’s.
Jim Brown, in his role as Chairman of the Coventry City Former Players Association, who are hosting a Legends Day next Saturday, presented a badge to Tom Dentith to make him an Honourary Member.
Then the main speakers in the Academy’s Greg Rioch and Lee Carsley were introduced to good applause. Lee Carsley said that they had a fantastic squad of players, their recruitment of players was good and that there is a conveyor belt of players coming through to the first team.
Ricoh, who is in his fifth season at the Academy, spoke about his delight about Gael Bigirimana, could not attend as he was with the first team squad, winning his Apprentice Of The Year at the Football League Awards and the pressure being put on players at the Academy to get them prepared and ready for the first team environment.
Joe Elliott asked Lee Carsley the question about him playing again and the former Republic Of Ireland international player said that after twenty one years of playing, he had got to the stage where he couldn’t do what he wanted to do and thought that it was best to walk away.
The duo ,who do an excellent job along with everyone else at the Academy in developing the players, received some good applause before those presented were entertained with the comic stylings of Billy Bell.
Jim Brown spoke about his City collecting obsession and his statistical work, which was fuelled by him meeting Derek Henderson many years ago before another enjoyable lunch came to a close.
Pictures copyright of Covsupport News Service. Credit CNS/Pete Chambers