[retired_smitchell78]

Tickets are now on sale for the match between Tamworth and Coventry City at the Lamb on Monday, October 14.

Coventry are set to send a full first team squad and ex-Tamworth manager (and now City coach) Gary Mills will play for both sides on the evening.

Prices are £5 adults, £3 concessions and all seats £6.

[retired_smitchell78]

Robert Betts made his first start of the season for the Sky Blues last night and to make things that little bit better notched up his first City goal.

The 20-year-old revealed that he wasn’t totally expecting to start the match and was fairly satisfied with his performance.

“I was really happy to get in the team last night. I’ve waited for my opportunities and was on the bench the week before in a league match.

“I didn’t know I was in the starting line-up until we were in the dressing room before the game. I knew that with the injuries to Safri and Eustace that I might get a look-in and it was great when I found out I’d be starting.

“I was quite happy with the way I played but more so with the way we performed as a team. It wasn’t so much a case that I wanted to prove myself, more take my chance when it’s given to me. Obviously with so much competition for places in the midfield I know it will be hard for me to break through so when I do get a chance I really want to take it.

“Things have been going OK for me since I finished in the Academy. I got a few games under my belt last season and this year I’ve just been looking to get my head down and really go for it.”

Bettsy’s determination is encouraging and was epitomised by his desire to take that second half penalty.

“I really wanted to get on the scoresheet and when the penalty came up I just grabbed the ball. Richard Shaw was coming up field but I don’t know if he seriously wanted to take it. I told him he should get back on the halfway line where he belongs! I think the lads just wanted to see him score because he hasn’t got a goal for so long. As soon as the penalty was given I was determined to take it and I was glad to score my first goal.”

Betts is just one of the many City players to sing the praises of the new management system that he thinks could well take the Sky Blues back to the Premiership

“Things are really good now with Macca in charge and he’s brought in Eric Black and Gary Mills as his assistants. Things are run much more professionally but there’s a great atmosphere as well. Everybody really looks forward to coming into training every morning.

“There’s a lot of young lads at the club and I think last night proved that quite a few are ready to make the leap up to senior football. Some of us have played together through the youth teams and have therefore got a good understanding. The gaffer tells us all that we’ve got the ability and to show that we’re hungry for success and that’s what we did.
“Everybody’s optimistic about this season and really looking forward to pushing for promotion. If we don’t end up in at least at a play-off position we’ll all be extremely disappointed.”

Bettsy’s ambitious on a personal level as well but he is also clearly a team player and is willing to continue being patient if need be.

“From a personal point-of-view I’m just looking to get selected as much as possible. If I’m not starting games then I want to get on the bench on a regular basis. You never know though I might force the gaffer out the team!

“I don’t expect to get selected this weekend because the gaffer and Chippo will both be back for selection. It would be nice to get a place on the bench though.

“The way I look at things, it’s not about 11 players, it’s about 18-20 and if I can be a regular part of that squad I’ll be happy. It’s a long season and lots of different people will get a chance at different times. We’ll all pull together to try and get that promotion spot.”

[retired_smitchell78]

The Under 17s hope to continue their winning streak when they take on West Ham at Ryton tomorrow.

Brian Borrows’ team will be looking to make it four straight wins and add to their goalscoring total of 13 goals in six games. The game against the Hammers kicks-off at 11am.

George Mackie’s Under 19s also face a London side, in the form of Chelsea, at the Imperial College Sports Ground, Harlington.

The Sky Blues team will be hoping to rack up their second win of the season after a series of losses. It is hoped that the trip down south will end their run of poor results. That game also kicks-off at 11am

[retired_smitchell78]

Gary Caldwell is yet another 20-year-old currently on City’s books who is helping the Sky Blues battle for promotion.

Caldwell was Gary McAllister’s first deal as manager of the club and was brought in on a season-long loan from Newcastle. He soon suffered poor fortune as he picked up a knee injury on the second day of pre-season training and missing out on vital fitness work.

The Scot was unavailable for the first few games but has been a regular in the past seven fixtures and has turned in some accomplished performances.

He may only be here for a year but Gary says that if he is not likely to get first team action for Newcastle next year he will look elsewhere. He has demonstrated that he has a cool head in defence and excellent passing ability and clearly wants to help City get promoted.

“Personally I want to play in every game, do as well as I can for Coventry and help the team get up into the Premiership. Then at the end of the season we’ll see what happens.

“I’ve worked with Eric Black before and obviously I looked up to Gary as a player when I was younger. When I found out Coventry were interested I jumped at the chance.”

“I signed a two-year contract with Newcastle before I came here and I suppose that’s an encouraging sign but I said to them that I needed the guarantee of first team football and to come here and get that is great. Come the end of the year if I’m not getting first team football there I’ll want to move on – that’s mainly what I want and Coventry’s given me that chance.”

In his first few games he played in central defence but with the return of Davenport and Konjic has been shifted to full-back.

Although he doesn’t see this as his best position he is happy to play anywhere and has enjoyed his time with the Sky Blues.

“It’s been great so far. We’ve had a few ups and downs I suppose with results but it’s been good on the whole and hopefully I’ll be able to go on for the rest of the season.

“I’ve been used in a few positions but I’ll play anywhere. If the gaffer wants me to play at right-back then I’m happy with that. I’m comfortable there but I think I’m better at centre half and everyone will probably tell you that. If he wants me to play there I’ll do the best I can in that position.

Gary may be having his first continued spell of football in Division One but he has experience at a much higher level.

With four full caps for Scotland, the first of which came against France before this year’s World Cup, he is currently featuring for the Under 21s but is hoping if he can impress in this loan spell he may get back into the senior side.

“I’m going away with the Under 21s next week to Iceland for a European Championship qualifier and then we’re playing Ghana in a friendly. I’ve had a sniff of first team action with Scotland – I’ve got four caps – but I want to get more now and hopefully if I’m doing well enough here Bertie Vogts will be watching and I’ll get another chance.

“I hope to play in both of the Under-21 games because I missed a few matches at the beginning of the season so every game for me is a bonus and I’ll keep getting better the more I play. I don’t think I’m quite at 100% fitness yet but I’m getting there and feeling better in every match so hopefully I’ll be firing very soon.”

[retired_barbara45]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by dav:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Sky Blue Tom:
8-0! [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif" alt="eek[/IMG]

Why does this always happen when I'm _NOT_ at the game! [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif" alt="frown[/IMG] [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

you are a bad omen, you must be banned from cov games :amd:<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
At least he can spell. :intel: [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG]

[retired_smitchell78]

Coventry draw Palace
05 Oct 2002 14:38


The Sky Blues will travel to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace in the third round of the Worthington Cup.
The tie will take place in the week commencing November 4.

[retired_smitchell78]

Team News v Gillingham
05 Oct 2002 14:46


Gary McAllister makes one change from the side which beat Rushden and Diamonds 8-0 on Wednesday night.
The manager recalls himself to the starting line-up, with Robert Betts dropping out of the equation.
Barry Quinn therefore retains his place at left-back, with Dean Gordon having to be content with a place on the bench - the first league game the full-back has missed this season.
Partidge and Pipe continue wide on the flanks for City, while Youssef Chippo, who has recovered from a thigh injury, is a substitute.
The Coventry team is as follows:
Debec
Caldwell
Quinn
Davenport
Konjic
McAllister
Safri
Pipe
McSheffrey
Mills
Partridge

SUBS
Hyldgaard
Shaw
Gordon
Chippo
Bothroyd

[retired_smitchell78]

Despite being overlooked for England's latest under-20 game, Sky Blues' striker Gary McSheffrey has vowed to keep faith with his country of birth.

The Coventry kid, who also qualifies to play for Scotland and Ireland due to his parents' lineage, has so far rejected calls to change his allegiance and attempt to forge an international career north of the border.

City manager Gary McAllister has tried to persuade the young player to make himself available for the Scots, but McSheffrey is prepared to stay true to his heart, for the time being at least.

"I am really disappointed just to be on standby for the England under-20 game," said the Coventry-born striker, who hit a midweek hat-trick to take his goal tally to seven.

"I was in the squad in the summer but I think what they are doing is keeping the team together that is the under-20 age group that has come up through the ranks.

"There are a few of the older boys on standby in case they need a few players but I would much rather be in the squad than out."

Centre-back Calum Davenport has been called into the squad to face Germany next week while Jay Bothroyd also finds himself on stand-by.

As far as making a decision about his long term international career, McSheffrey admits: "I am no further forward really.

"It is always an honour to be wanted by an country and to have the choice of who to pick, but my heart is with England and probably always will be.

"Further down my career I will have to look at things like that. Other people have gone to other nationalities and made a good international career.

"It is an honour to be wanted by Scotland but I am letting it go over my head at the moment."

[retired_smitchell78]

Gillingham 0 v 2 Coventry Full-time
Bothroyd 46
Pipe 53



Kickoff: 15:00(GMT)

Referee: P. Armstrong
Attendance: 7,722


Gillingham: Brown , Ashby (Rose 80) , Hope , Hessenthaler , Perpetuini , Smith , L Johnson (T Johnson 58) , Ipoua , Shaw , Wallace (James 58) , Nosworthy

Subs not used: Bartram , Spiller

Bookings:


Coventry: Debec, Caldwell G , Davenport , Konjic , McAllister , Partridge , Quinn , Safri , McSheffrey (Bothroyd 16) , Mills (Chippo 73) , Pipe (Shaw 81)

Subs not used: Gordon , Hydlgaard

Bookings: Konjic 38, Bothroyd 65, Chippo 80

Second-half goals from Jay Bothroyd and David Pipe did the damage for Coventry as they saw off Gillingham 2-0 at Priestfield.
The Sky Blues picked up from where they had left off against Rushden & Diamonds in the Worthington Cup in midweek to claim their third away win of the season.
Both goals came in an eight-minute spell at the start of the second half as the visitors were finally rewarded for their dominance in the opening 45 minutes.
Substitute Bothroyd, who had replaced the injured Gary McSheffrey after only 15 minutes, broke the deadlock a minute after the break, neatly slotting home after player-boss Gary McAllister had sent him clear.
Their lead was doubled seven minutes later when Pipe met Richie Partridge's cross from the left to fire past Jason Brown in the Gillingham goal.
The home side had made a bright start to proceedings at Priestfield and they could have been in front inside the first minute but David Perpetuini fired wide from close-range.
City hit back almost immediately with McAllister and Lee Mills both threatening the home side's goal, while Yousef Safri's shot from distance flew narrowly wide after 15 minutes.
The visitors continued to enjoy the greater share of possession and the lively Partridge, on loan from Liverpool, forced a good save from Brown after 36 minutes.
They made their advantage pay after the break, however, with those two quickfire goals and there was to prove to be no way back for the Gills.
Guy Ipoua went close to halving the deficit but City keeper Fabien Debec was equal to his effort, while Perpetuini also saw his header blocked.
Mills then wasted a good chance to make it 3-0 but the two goals were to prove enough for McAllister's men to take them up to sixth in the table while Gillingham slip to 13th.

[retired_smitchell78]

Friendly rivalry is fuelling Coventry City’s attacking momentum.

Jay Bothroyd revealed that he and his Sky Blue room-mate Gary McSheffrey intend to push each other all the way to keep hitting the back of the net.

The pair have hit seven goals apiece so far this season and although Bothroyd is keen to start more games, he is confident he can keep pace with McSheffrey.

“All the strikers are contributing and scoring goals and it is making it hard for the manager to make a decision about us,” said the 20-year-old who hit City’s opener in Saturday’s 2-0 victory at Gillingham.

“But if we can keep wading in with goals we are going to be up there at the end of the season. It would be great to keep neck and neck with Gary until the end of the season.

“I room with him at away games and we talk about it and have a laugh in training about it, so it is fun.”

And player manager Gary McAllister is keen to encourage the rivalry which he says can only be good for the team.

“The two of them are neck and neck now and they have got to keep that going,” he said. “We just need to look at them leading up to each match and see who is looking fresh.

“I think all the pairings work whether it is McSheffrey and Bothroyd, McSheffrey and Mills or Bothroyd and Mills - any way you pair them.

“When Jay cuts in on to his right foot you have to fancy him every time because he

has got a lovely array of finishes. He can side foot them high into the net, bottom of the net, reverse hit them. The one thing about Jay is that when he gets a chance he hits the target.”

Bothroyd added: “It is frustrating starting on the bench but it is a squad game and as long as I come on and do my job, that’s the main thing and I thought I did pretty well.

“The gaffer told us at half time that there were goals out there and plenty of chances to get amongst it and try to get a result this time.

“I was just jogging back and saw the ball drop to the gaffer and thought he might play it forward to me and he did.

“I managed to beat the off-side trap and controlled the ball and tucked it away.

“In that situation the keeper dived early to try to trap the ball so he made my mind up for me really. But the second goal took a lot of pressure off us and made it easier because I think they wanted to press us after that but we managed to shut up shop.

“The first half was a bit rough and tumble but it was a great result. We played really well in the second half when we started passing the ball and showing good movement so I thought we deserved it.

“It was a great occasion for David Pipe who did really well in the week as well so he is really happy to score his first goal.

“The manager was delighted with the three points, especially building on the midweek win because we had been very disappointed with the Millwall game. So we got our three points and we were happy.

“I thought we could win the game comfortably if we put our chances away and that’s what we did.

“We have got a break now so we have a few days to rest and recuperate and look forward to our next game.”