Coventry's Unsung Hero

Coventrians  3  Shipston Excelsior  1

Midland Football League – Division Three

I’d got a proper day of it planned, get the train to Birmingham, head over to Coventry, drink my way round the City Centre and then catch the bus up to Holbrooks Park to watch Coventrians play in their first ever home game as a Midland Football League side.

It was early September 2015 but to be fair, the weather had not been so great, and also, the club had encountered a few potential issues with the local authority pitch, in the sense that decisions to postpone games were out of theirs and the match official’s hands largely.

Being slightly apprehensive, I sent a text to the club secretary, Jane Connelly, and got a very swift response which re-assured me sufficiently to trot down to Belper Railway Station and jump on board the next West Midlands bound train.

I’d never been into Coventry City Centre before and wasn’t completely au-fait with the geography, so when I stepped off the train, in the midst of a very heavy rain shower, the apparent distance to any kind of establishments perturbed me somewhat, and not only that, the rain was also a bit of a worry.

A Home Of Their Own

After a few sprints via various means of shelter I had discovered a vision of beauty, the first of two Wetherpooons that I was going to base myself in for the pre-match entertainment. With steaks on offer at a discounted price it was too good an opportunity to turn down, but, after sending another message to Jane explaining I was now in a ‘Coventrians or Bust’ scenario, she once again obliged, it was very much game on.

To be honest, I got somewhat merry after that, I had a wander round the bomb damaged cathedral, drank a wee bit more and then managed to navigate myself to the bus station, and actually contrived to catch the correct bus. As if luck would have it, as I hopped off at Holbrooks Park I found another establishment directly adjacent, and with a bit of time on my side, I concluded it would be rude not to.

The Twilight Zone - Complete With My Mate Dave!

It was while in this den of iniquity that I stumbled upon a ladies football team having a bit of a social, and crikey, they weren’t to be messed with, the language and the topics of conversation were blushing material for an innocent like me. I drank up and made my way to the building that served as a tea bar / dressing rooms.

As soon as I walked in I was welcome by a lady dressed in a Coventrians tracksuit, “You must be Neil?” was the greeting. Clearly I had the look of a bloke who had been pub hopping for the past four hours, and Jane had made the correct conclusion, I was indeed Neil….

We chatted for a bit, and what I can remember (I can actually remember some of it!) is that Jane apologised for the fact that she wasn’t 100% committal in her texts to me about the status of the game, explaining that she always had a fear that a call could come in from the council calling the game off, at short notice.

Anyway, I remember Coventrians lost 2-1 to Redditch Borough, and I also remember after that game when talking about the club to various travelling compatriots, I made a point of recommending they get in touch with Jane for any help or confirmation that they needed about going to a match at Coventrians.

Three years later and it comes down the wires that the club are on the move, this time to the Coventry Colliery ground which is on the very Northern outskirts of the City, very close to the M6. That of course means another visit, so with a midweek fixture against Shipston Excelsior on what promised to be a balmy night in the West Midlands, myself, along with several others of the fraternity, elected to pay a visit.

Fizzy Stuff Is Indeed Available

I managed to get a bit lost on the way in, I somehow found a Rugby Ground on Bennetts Road, and then a Cricket Ground, neither of which helped me much, until my mate Dave phoned to say he’d arrived and was sat in the car park. I’d been on Google Maps and got my wires crossed so he talked me in, and after meeting in the large car park, we made our way to the bar.

Serving behind the bar, as well as meeting and greeting spectators, match officials and visiting club representatives alike was Jane. But, while she remembered Dave from a previous meeting, she didn’t comment on remembering me, which may have had something to do with the fact that last time round my eyes were pointing in different directions and I spoke like someone who had just had a dental anaesthetic!

Numerous members of the fraternity turned up to watch and all were met and greeted in the same manner. All were offered the obligatory team sheets while any questions or queries were also answered.

The game itself kicked off at 6.20pm, which was twenty minutes after the scheduled start, largely due to the away team having delays to the get to the ground, plus the fact that the road outside the ground was actually closed, despite the fact several of us ignored the signs and just drove straight through!

Just A Cliff Richard Short Now......

As for the ground, well it’s a two pitch complex, and the one Coventrians use is railed on two sides with a third ready to be installed. No other furniture exists of note, but compared to Holbrooks Park it’s a different World completely. The club can charge admission, they can sell food and drink, and of course, if they so wish I’m sure they can develop it.

Game wise, Coventrians were the better team throughout and by half time looked comfortable with a 2-0 lead. They had a couple of players who I thought may well have played at a higher level and wouldn’t look out of place performing a few leagues higher now.

Shipston pulled a goal back in the second period but to be fair, that simply spurred the hosts on who went on to grab a third goal and make the points safe.

It was a very enjoyable evening in the midst of some very good company, the banter flowed and the stories, many of which have been heard before, were told once again, but that didn’t matter.

I really hope Coventrians make a success of the move, and can start to replicate at a senior level the success the club have had at a junior level, since forming in 2007, thanks to Jane and her husband John who were the driving force behind it.

Grassroots football relies heavily on the Jane Connolly’s of this World, most importantly to ensure it survives and thrives, but for the small minority like myself who do what we do, the service she, and other like her provides is invaluable.