The Coventry City Former Players Association are pleased to announce that our ‘special guest’ for next Tuesday night’s League One fixture at the Ricoh with new boys Forest Green Rovers will be Sky Blues former full back/ defender Stuart Giddings. The match on 17th October 2017 kicks off at 7.45pm.
Stuart made his debut to CCFPA’s ‘special guest’ duties last season so we are sure he will do a great job when he tours the supporter’s lounges before the game for a brief Q&A with fellow CCFPA member and former Sky Blue defender (of a very different era), Brian ‘Harry’ Roberts. As with most younger professionals in modern football Stuart’s media training should make his full match session in the press box with the BBC CWR live matchday commentary team reasonably comfortable!
We trust all will be made even more pleasurable if the Sky Blues continue their recent unbeaten run and extend their impressive recent record of four successive wins at the Ricoh and four clean sheets to boot!! Last Saturday’s hard fought no score draw at Barnet kept CCFC in the play-off places and a win might lift them near the top.
Stuart in July 2002 in England U17 shirt
Stuart will have to keep his wits honed sharp when he joins CCFPA’s Billy Bell after the game on the stage of Lady Gs in front of CCFC supporters for the usual ‘special guest’ badinage, career advice and analysis of the Sky Blues season and performance so far!
For the record, Stuart is a ‘Cov Kid’ brought through the Club’s youth system collecting England caps from under 16 to U19 level on the way. He made his first team debut in the Championship in May 2004 as a sub and full debut the following season. He will therefore appreciate the presence of so many of the men who cut their teeth in the Sky Blues Academy getting their chance in the current first team squad.
In total Stuart turned out 19 times for the Sky Blues first team before being released in March 2008 (after a loan spell at Oldham Athletic). Since 2009 Stuart has played at Hinckley Athletic (two spells), Ilkeston Town (briefly) and Darlington (on a season’s loan) but his professional career has badly restrained by a long-term knee ligament injury.
Welcome Stuart, we will do our best to make your day with us as stress free as possible and that you will see another good Sky Blue performance.