Coventry City

Although the Sky Blues have only participated in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy for a few seasons, they have all been dramatic affairs, for differing reasons. Following City’s relegation into League One in 2012, the team were matched against Burton Albion in the Northern Section First Round of the 2012/13 tournament. City won an incredible 10-9 on penalties after a 0-0 draw.

The second round saw a 4-0 win away at York, followed by another penalty shootout win, 4-1 against Sheffield United at home after a 1-1 draw. The Area Semi-Finals awaited, and in front of 12,000 at the Ricoh, City beat Preston 3-2 in a dramatic affair. The Sky Blues opened the scoring through Steven Jennings but fell behind as Luke Foster headed home and Stuart Beavon’s deflected effort found the net in the second-half. The tie looked lost but City rallied and Carl Baker smashed home from a narrow angle in the 91st minute before Leon Clarke reacted quickest two minutes later to tap home but City within touching distance of Wembley.

In front of a sell-out crowd at the Ricoh Arena, the Sky Blues faltered and lost the first leg of the Area Final 3-0 to Crewe Alexandra. It didn’t look like City had a chance going into the second leg but two late goals from City, an Ellis own goal and Leon Clarke’s header wasn’t enough as City agonizingly missed out on a first trip to Wembley since 1987.

The following season saw a shoot-out defeat to Leyton Orient in the second round as the Sky Blues were reduced to ten-men at Brisbane Road but took the lead twice through Carl Baker and Franck Moussa. Leon Clarke missed a second-half penalty and City were made to pay as Kevin Lisbie netted late on. 

Last season, the Sky Blues used the early rounds of the competition to demonstrate the young Academy talent at Coventry City. In the first round at Wycombe Wanderers, the Sky Blues ended the game with all 11 players either from or currently in the club’s Academy as Josh McQuoid’s strike sealed a 1-0 win against the League Two high-flyers. The second round saw Exeter City travel to the Ricoh Arena and once again, the Sky Blues ended the game with 11 home-grown players on the pitch as City sealed a comfortable 3-1 victory. In the Area quarter-finals, the Sky Blues recorded another comfortable home victory against Plymouth Arygle as Gary Madine and Frank Nouble scored against the Pilgrims. City’s run in the competition came to an end in the semi-finals however, as the eventual winners Bristol City recorded a 2-0 victory against the Sky Blues.

The Johnstone’s Paint Trophy may not be the most glamorous of competitions but at this point in the club’s history, it represents Coventry City’s best chance to get to Wembley, win a trophy but also, create a memory for a generation of supporters which have so few to look back on fondly. 

Aside from the Two-Tone music scene, there is not a big link between Coventry and Jamaica. However City were fortunate enough to have had a couple of players that have represented the sunshine country. Paul Hall represented Jamaica 41 times, scoring 15 goals. He also played ten times for the Sky Blues between 1998 and 2000, after being signed by Gordon Strachan. A journeyman career afterwards saw him play for a number of Football League clubs before retiring in 2011.

Another Jamaican Sky Blue was striker Marlon King. Signed by Aidy Boothroyd in 2010, he played 28 times for City, scoring 12 goals and being a positive aspect of an otherwise dismal 2010-11 season. His form was recognized by Birmingham City, who signed him in 2011. For Jamaica he has averaged a goal every other game, scoring 12 goals in 24 games between 2004 and 2013.

Other players to have played for both Coventry and Jamaica include Mark Marshall, Jamar Loza and Onandi Lowe.

A player in the Sky Blues hall of fame, Jones played during the ‘Golden Era’ of the 1930’s and amassed a prolific scoring record in the short time he was at the club. 

Born in Aberdare, Wales and signed from Cardiff City in 1934, Jones went on to make 138 appearances for City. He scored 70 times as an advanced forward, gaining a ratio of a goal in less than every two games, something matched by very few players to have played for the Sky Blues.

After rejecting a large transfer fee by Tottenham Hotspur, City could not reject a bid of £7,000 from North London neighbours Arsenal, and Jones went on to play for the Gunners under the legendary Herbert Chapman. He won a league title in 1938, before retiring after a brief spell at Brighton in 1949. He died in 1981, aged 69.

A cult hero among Sky Blue fans, Jorgensen has the honour of being the first man to score a goal at the Ricoh Arena, in a 3-0 win for City against Queens Park Rangers in 2005.

Jorgensen joined City from Bradford, and went on to make 52 appearences for the club, scoring six goals. His no nonsense defending proved to be a hit with Sky Blue fans, and it was a surprise when he moved on a free transfer to Blackpool in 2007. He played 100 times for the Tangerines, before having spells at Port Vale and Fleetwood Town. He retired in 2010, and is now chairman of his own floor cleaning company, based in the Midlands and a coach at the Coventry City Academy.

Currently playing in the Premier League with Burnley, Jutkiewicz has constantly impressed when playing in the Football League, and this continued when he moved from Everton to City in 2010.

He played two seasons with the Sky Blues, scoring nine goals in each season. His constant workrate was praised alongside his attacking threat, and he eventually moved to Middlebrough in 2011 after a successful loan spell. 

After three years and 11 goals, Jutkiewicz moved to Burnley as they looked to bolster their attacking options ahead of playing in the Premier League for the first time in five years. He played 26 times last season but failed to find the net.