By CovSid67
August 7 2009

Part 4 - And it was all going so fairly well: February and March....

FEBRUARY: Four wins, two draws.

Huge-egoed, mis-firing Michael Mifsud finally leaves Coventry City, signing on loan with Barnsley until the end of the season (Mifsud's contribution to the Barnsley cause was two goals in eleven appearances, plus four as a substitute - not really worth all that hassle, was it?!). It's also revealed that Julian Gray has worn a Coventry City shirt for the last time, with Fulham paying an undisclosed fee for his services. Getting money from a Premiership side, for a player that struggled to get into a Championship side, once again goes to show the financial genius that is Ray Ranson! (Gray's contribution was a mere two substitute appearances all season for Fulham). Manager Chris Coleman states that he would like Coventry City to be a top-of-the-table side (Obviously a slow news day if that made the back pages). On the pitch, top-of-the-table Wolves once again leave the Ricoh without a victory, as Coventry City triumph 2-1 over their local(ish) rivals. Doyle and McKenzie scored the goals, though Westwood was the hero, saving an injury time penalty from Ebanks-Blake. James McPake makes his debut, having signed the previous Monday, before becoming a treatment-table regular. Sunil Chhetri's agent slams Coventry City for having fixtures to play during the players trial (How else is the club supposed to raise te funds to try and pay for him to join?). Blackburn and Burnley both score late goals to deny Coventry City what would have been two impressive away scalps. Chris Eagles, brought on as a 71st minute substitute in both Coventry-Burnley fixtures, scores injury time goals in both games to 'steal' four points from Chris Coleman's side, while an idiot dressed as Cupid invading the pitch saw four minutes injury time in the cup match versus Blackburn, in which time Samba equalised to spare the home sides blushes. A Scott Dann goal two minutes into the match is enough to earn Coventry a double over high-flying Birmingham City. Man-in-the-mask Leon Best knocks Premiership Blackburn out of the F.A. Cup with the games' only goal, which was obviously to much Jason Roberts, who was rumoured to have 'thrown his dummy out-of-the-pram' outside the ground. That deserved victory over Blackburn in the FA Cup replay saw Coventry City drawn at home to Chelsea in the next round, and the noise of the cash registers at the Ricoh can be heard for miles around. Victory over Norwich (With goals from Henderson, and a 'Goal Of The Season' contender from Fox) sees Coventry City go through the month of February unbeaten, and on a massive high. Chris Coleman states that reaching the play-offs is a possibility - though he doesn't say which season....

MARCH: One win, four defeats.

Chris Coleman is unsurprisingly given the 'Manager Of the Month Award' for February, and seems to be struck by the curse that goes with it! Sheffield United defeat Coventry City days before the only match that seems to matter, thanks to a goal that never was. Leigh Bromby was wrongly adjudged to have scored, with TV replays clearly showing this was not the case, while a Chris Morgan goal (A player that some think shouldn't even be playing after a horror tackle earlier in the season) gave The Blades a two-goal lead. Scott Dann pulled a goal back for the home side, but Coventry were unable to record any kind of morale-boosting result before 'the big one'. Coventry City go into the Cup match versus Chelsea without Dan Fox, and seem to opt for damage limitation rather than taking the game to Chelsea, in the televised F.A. Cup fifth round match, though the damage limitation plan is temporarily forgotten as the home side gift Chelsea their first goal. There are plenty of unrecognisable faces amongst the crowd, and regular supporters are suddenly down to one seat each in the arena, rather than the normal two. A Bristol City side - including CCFC old-boys Louis Carey, Stern John, and Dele Adebola - continue their recent decent form against a shot-shy Coventry City, easing to a two-nil victory at Ashton Gate. The positive for the die-hards that made the journey was Aron Gunnarsson joining them in the crowd, and seemingly having his picture taken with each and every away supporter! Coventry City once again lose at Preston's Deepdale ground, despite taking the lead through Clinton Morrison. Ben Turner managed to score into his own net when it looked easier to clear, while lumbering pie-eater John Parkin scored Preston's winner when he somehow managed to out-sprint Scott Dann following a poor free-kick from Kieran Westwood. David Bell's rival for 'Goal Of The Season' sees Coventry City end the month with a victory (Hitting the target from 45-yards out, while stood next to Chris Coleman on the touchline!), as Doncaster leave the Ricoh empty handed. Soon-to-be-leaving Andy Marshall tells Kieran Westwood he needs another season in the Championship before a move to the Premiership - said opinion is agreed with by all right-minded Coventry City supporters! Chris Coleman spots the reason for Kevin Thornton's inability to earn a permanent place in Coventry's first team, commenting: 'if we were playing on a half a pitch he would get 100 caps for Ireland because his footballing ability is lovely'.