There are two mysteries involved in CCFPA’s contribution to the Sky Blues’ last home game against Leyton Orient on Saturday 20th April 2013. First, who will be our special guest?
We were prepared to announce that former Sky Blue centre-forward Kevin Drinkell would be coming to do the honours. Unfortunately due to circumstances beyond our control Kevin has had to withdraw (with apologies) so we are urgently looking for a substitute!
A hot shot for hometown club Grimsby Town (89 goals in his 272 league appearances), Norwich City (57 goals in 150 league and cup outings and Glasgow Rangers (12 goals in 36 Scottish League appearances) this convinced Sky Blues manager (and fellow CCFPA member) John Sillett to bring him to Highfield Road in 1989. By the time Kevin left CCFC to take up a coaching post at Falkirk he had clocked up seven goals in his 50 appearances for the Sky Blues in all competitions. He also coached and managed Stirling Albion (1994-98) and managed Montrose until, from 2000, he developed a sports management career with his own football Agency.
The second mystery is who has won the G-Casino CCFPA ‘Player of the Season’ award for 2012-13? Nominations have been made in Lady Gs after each home game and after a strenuous race between a number of Sky Blues players, some of them experienced hands and some of the young stars of the future, a clear winner has emerged.
All we can say at this stage for the curious is that the letter ’C’ figures in one of their names. If you want to know the winner buy PUSB the CCFC matchday programme for the Leyton Orient game and look at the CCFPA page. Better still come along to the Ricoh on Saturday and show up at the Lady G’s Show Bar after the game.
There the winner will be invited to appear (presumably straight after his exertions on the pitch) to verbally spar with CCFPA’s vice chair Mr. Billy Bell and be presented with his award on the stage of Lady Gs. Also present we hope will be our special guest for the Day who we hope to reveal in the next few days. What could be a better way to see out the Sky Blues somewhat topsy turvy season than to join other Sky Blue supporters in Lady Gs after the last home game of the season?
More on CCFPA; http://www.ccfpa.co.uk/
Update
The Association is pleased to announce that ‘Coventry kid’ and Association President, former Sky Blue Kirk Stephens will be our special guest at the last home match of the League One season against Leyton Orient on Saturday 20th April 2013. Our original invitee, Kevin Drinkell unfortunately had to pull out earlier this week to unavoidable business commitments, so thanks to Kirk for quickly stepped into the breach.
Kirk will be remembered as a combative defender who spent two seasons with the Sky Blues in the mid 1980s. A Caludon Castle schoolboy, Kirk was actually turned down by CCFC as a youngster because he was thought not yet ready for top level football and so started his playing career with Nuneaton Borough under manager David Pleat.
Kirk then moved with David when he took over the reins at Luton Town in 1978. Kirk is pictured at a previous Legends Day proudly presenting (in a photo of his days at Luton) his younger self (or is it John McEnroe)? Kirk is on the right of the black and white photo with another Luton Town player who went on to play for CCFC, goalkeeper Jake Findlay!
Kirk spent 5 seasons with the Hatters clocking up nearly 250 appearances (and 2 goals) before CCFC Manager (and fellow CCFPA member) Bobby Gould brought him back home in 1984. In his two seasons at Highfield Road Kirk appeared 37 times in the Sky Blue shirt and scored twice before injury ended his professional career. Spells with Stockingford and Barnet followed as well as over subsequent years a strong attachment to Nuneaton Borough as player, manager and director. Association President, Kirk was an inaugural member of CCFPA and is a regular supporter of our functions especially our annual Golf Day (Golf Day 2013 will take place once more this June -see separate news item).
Look out for Kirk around the various Ricoh Lounges, providing match analysis on BBC CWR, on the pitch at half-time and on the G-Casino stage of Lady G’s Showbar for a friendly interrogation by CCFPA’s Billy Bell (along with- it is hoped the G-Casino CCFPA Player of the Year chosen by the patrons of Lady Gs throughout the season). Everyone Welcome!