The Coventry City Former Players Association are delighted to announce that the Association’s ‘special guest’ at the Sky Blues upcoming 3rd Round F.A.Cup tie with Stoke City at the Ricoh on Saturday next will be own home grown former Sky Blue star and ‘Coventry kid’ Marcus Hall.
He will be returning to the Ricoh once more as our ‘special’ guest though he gets to see many of his home town club’s games as a fairly regular visitor to the Ricoh. Marcus, like all Sky Blues fans will be hoping the Sky Blues can topple Mark Hughes’ Premier League outfit who have been struggling a bit this season and make progress in this season’s competition. Stoke lost 5-0 to Chelsea on Saturday as the Sky Blues got a gritty 1-0 win at Carlisle and yesterday they lost 1-0 as City beat Chesterfield by the same score. Everything is to play for. Another ‘March to the Arch’ this season following last March’s Checkatrade win at Wembley would certainly not go amiss!
Marcus joined the Sky Blues from Coventry Schools in 1992 as an apprentice and quickly rose to the ranks of first team professional debuting in the Premier league against Spurs in December 1994, subsequently becoming an England Under 21 and ‘B’ International.Ever popular in various defensive roles Marcus appeared over 150 times in his first period with the Sky Blues before leaving in 2002 and after very short spells with Nottingham Forest and Southampton settled at Stoke City where he clocked up over 80 appearances for the Potteries outfit.
Marcus at the Ricoh
Marcus returned to the CCFC’s new home at the Ricoh in 2005 and doubled his overall appearances total at CCFC to 307 first team games (5 goals). Leaving City for a second time in 2010 Marcus spent 2010-11 with Northampton Town until released. Amongst his other activities Marcus is a Football Consultant with the Sport First Agency. He received his benefit from CCFC in 2009 and has also turned out in Sky Blue colours in the Serco Midland Masters 6 a side tournament a few years ago as well as a number of Sky Blues ‘Legends’ XI Charity games. He also is a regular at Association events like our Legends Days and Golf Days.
Look out for Marcus both in the club’s Family Zone as well as around and about the supporters’ lounges in the stadium before the game and in the G-Casino after the game on the stage of Lady Gs with CCFPA’s Billy Bell. For those who can’t make the game Marcus will also be contributing match analysis on the local radio coverage provided by the BBC CWR commentary team. Welcome Marcus – and he invites you to join him in making a ‘Ricoh Roar’ to give Stoke a shock.