The FA Cup and some memorable free transfers are the focus of our sixth installment of the Coventry City A-Z...
Across the season, we worked our way through the alphabet for this year's Coventry City matchday programme PUSB, finding a Sky Blue perspective of each letter in the alphabet.
It made for a popular feature so we thought we'd bring it to the web too! So without further ado, here is F, with the FA Cup and some memorable free transfers the focus of our sixth installment of the Coventry City A-Z...
FA Cup
The world's oldest cup competition provides every club with its highs and lows.
City's high came in 1987. It was the only time the Sky Blues have reached the FA Cup final and the Sky Blues recorded some memorable victories on the way to Wembley.
After a 3-0 win over Bolton Wanderers in the third round, City travelled to giants Manchester United and Keith Houchen scored the only goal of the game to keep the FA Cup dream alive.
A tough trip to Stoke City awaited City in the fifth round but once again, John Sillett's men won the game by the solitary goal to progress to the quarter-finals.
The Sky Blues were once again on the road, this time to Hillsborough, to play a fancied Sheffield Wednesday. Backed by a huge travelling support in the Leppings Lane End, City went ahead against the run of play thanks to Cyrille Regis after great work from Dave Bennett but after the break, Wednesday equalised.
City won the game thanks to two second-half goals from Keith Houchen as he continued his fantastic goal-scoring record in the cup.
The Sky Blues faced Leeds United in the semi-final as another trip to Hillsborough beckoned. A five-goal thriller awaited and goals from Mickey Gynn, Keith Houchen and an extra-time strike from
Dave Bennett sent Coventry to Wembley.
The unfancied, ‘unfashionable’ Coventry faced Tottenham Hotspur and Gary Mabbutt's knee in extra time sealed a 3-2 win for the Sky Blues for the club’s all-time high in the competition.
City's low came just two years later as John Sillett’s team travelled to Gander Green Lane to face non-league Sutton United in the third round in the 1989 and suffered a 'giant-killing' as Sutton recorded a 2-1 win. But, less said about that the better.
Free Transfers
The Sky Blues have picked up some fantastic free transfers over the years, players who have gone on to have a huge impact at City and we've picked out some examples of free transfers coming good at City.
Dennis Wise - The former Chelsea man joined the Sky Blues in January 2006 and quickly became a fans favourite at the Ricoh Arena.
He scored in each of his first three games with the club and went on to make 13 appearances for the Sky Blues. Wise scored six goals in his short spell at the club and he was offered a one-year deal by the club but decided to hang up his boots instead.
Michael Doyle - The combative midfielder moved to Coventry City in 2003 after leaving Scottish giants Celtic and impressing on loan at Danish side AGF Aarhus.
Having never made an appearance for the first team at Celtic, Doyle was seen as risk by the City faithful but he played regularly throughout his first season at the club.
He went on to make over 260 appearances for the Sky Blues, scoring 20 goals over a eight-year spell.
Steve Staunton - The experienced Republic of Ireland international joined Coventry City in June 2003 after leaving Aston Villa.
Even though Staunton was in the twilight of his career, he remained at City for two years and made over 70 appearances for the club.
He scored four goals during his time at the club and had one final short spell at Walsall before retiring in 2005.
France
Coventry City have had several French players represent the club over the years such as former Hibernian midfielder Guillaume Beuzelin who made 35 appearances for City after joining the club in 2008.
Defender Eric Deloumeaux joined Coventry City from Aberdeen in 2004 and went on to make 21 appearances for the club. Striker Youssef Sofiane made one appearance for City in 2005 after joining the club from West Ham United and has since played in the French lower leagues and North Africa.
More recently, French duo William Edjenguele and Kevin Malaga joined the club in 2012. Edjenguele made 40 appearances for City during his one-year spell whilst Malaga made two appearances for the club.
Steve Froggatt
The former Villa winger moved to Coventry City from Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1998 for £1.9 million and had a successful three-year spell at City.
He made over 50 appearances for the Sky Blues, scoring four goals including one goal against Leicester City when City recorded a 3-0 win at Filbert Street despite playing for the majority of the game with ten men.
Unfortunately, his playing career ended in 2001 after he suffered a terrible injury due to a challenge by Sunderland’s Nicky Summerbee. He regularly attends City games and has worked on the radio as a football summariser.