Welcome to the latest instalment of the Gloucester Groundhopper blog.
For this chapter, we travelled to Coventry for some Arnold Clark Cup action. There were two games that took place at the Coventry Building Society Stadium: England Women vs Italy Women and Belgium Women vs South Korea Women. This was sure to be some more great exposure for the growing popularity in women's football.
It's All In The Name
Because of the colour of their home jersey, the club is known as the Sky Blues. Coventry was founded as a Saxon village. Coffantree was the name given to the tree that belonged to Coffa. Trees were frequently used as gathering places. In this case, a town grew up around the tree, which eventually became known as Coventry.
Some Notable People From Coventry:
Delia Derbyshire- Creator of the theme tune to Doctor Who
Bobby Gould- Football Manager
Richard Keys- TV Presenter
Peter Waterman- Record Producer
Sir Frank Whittle- Inventor Of The Jet Engine
Some Notable Former Players
Steve Ogrizovic
Roland Nilsson
Peter Atherton
Gary McAllister
Craig Bellamy
Robbie Keane
Joe Cole
Dion Dublin
A History Lesson From AFC Finners
Coventry City FC was founded in 1883 by members of the Singers Cycle Company, which was originally known as Singers FC. They joined the Birmingham County Football Association after playing basic matches for a number of years, and in 1887, J.G Morgan joined as club secretary, moving them to a new home near their future ground of Highfield Road, and they would win a number of local cups over the next few years, including a treble in 1892. That same year, they turned professional, joining the Birmingham and District League. Financial problems emerged at the turn of the century, with the club suffering heavy defeats in the FA Cup and a player strike over unpaid wages.
Their fortunes would soon change, however, as they joined the Southern League in 1908 and won the Birmingham Senior Cup in 1911. They struggled greatly throughout the 1910s, almost going out of business entirely due to World War I, but they came out on the other side smelling like roses when they were able to join the Football League's Second Division.
They spent several years battling relegation and being involved in a match-fixing scandal before being relegated to the Third Division North. The late 20s saw things get even worse, with frequent lower half finishes sparking fan outrage and even suggestions that they be cancelled. However, their fortunes improved in the 1930s, as they were promoted back to the second tier in 1936 and finished fourth in the Second Division in 1938. However, the war had a significant impact on them, as Highfield Road was damaged during the Coventry Blitz, and their manager, Dick Bayliss, died in 1947 after becoming stranded in a snowstorm while on a scouting mission. In 1952, they were relegated to the Third Division.
Coventry was relegated to the Fourth Division following a league restructuring in the late 1950s, but they were promoted after only one season. Jimmy Hill would take over as president in 1961 and completely transform the club. He altered training methods, changed the club's uniforms to sky blue, and permitted players to speak to the media. Despite a shaky start, they were promoted back to Division Two in 1964, and Hill led them to their greatest day in 1967, when they won the Second Division for the first time. They were rocked, however, when Jimmy Hill left just before the start of the next season for a position at London Weekend Television. They narrowly avoided relegation in their first season in the Premier League under Noel Cantwell, despite a fire breaking out in the main stand at Highfield Road. They finished sixth in the top flight in 1970, and as a result, they qualified for the European Fairs Cup. They would defeat Bayern Munich in the competition, but were eliminated on aggregate by the Bavarians.
In the 1970s, Jimmy Hill returned to the club as a director, and Coventry remained in the top flight, but faced a number of relegation battles in the 1980s, and many players left the club when their contracts expired. Bobby Gould fought against the odds, stabilising a club that was on the verge of relegation, and in 1986, George Curtis and John Sillet would take joint charge of the club, and the duo would lead the club to their greatest moment ever.
Coventry reached their first FA Cup final in 1987, and won their only major trophy, the FA Cup, by defeating Tottenham 3-2. They had finally had their day in the sun after suffering for the majority of their lives. Coventry City joined the Premier League in 1992, finishing 15th in their first season. They remained in the Premier League for a number of years before being relegated in 2001, ending their 34-year stay in the top flight.
They had little to smile about after 11 seasons in the Championship, but they moved to their current home, the Ricoh Arena, in 2005. They were relegated from the Championship in 2012, and they spent the 2013-14 season playing at Northampton's Sixfields Stadium due to a dispute over the Ricoh Arena. They had also gone into administration by this point. Issues with Coventry's owner, the Sisu group, persisted for many years, with turmoil off the field affecting performance on it. While they were relegated to League Two in 2017, they had another memorable day out at Wembley, defeating Oxford 2-1 in the EFL Trophy final, a much-needed victory for the beleaguered fans.
They won again at Wembley in 2018, defeating Exeter City 3-1 in the league two playoff final, their first promotion since Jimmy Hill led them to the top flight in 1967. They won League One two years later to return to the Championship, but were kicked out of their home again in 2019 and had to share with Birmingham City for a short time. They returned to the Ricoh in 2021 and continue to compete in the Championship. They were released in 2022 after their tumultuous relationship with owners Sisu came to an end when businessman Doug King purchased the club. With a fan-friendly owner, the Sky Blues now believe they can put decades of heartbreak behind them and return to the Premier League.
And here's a fun fact: the elephants and phoenixes on the club's badge represent how Coventry survived and rebuilt after the Coventry Blitz in World War II.
Honours
🏆 Football League Division Two (Champions: 1966-67)
🏆 Football League Division Three (Champions: 1963-64)
🏆 League One (Champions: 2019-20)
🏆 Football League Division Three South (Champions: 1935-36) (Runners Up: 1933-34)
🏆 Football League Division Four (Runners-Up: 1958-59)
🏆 League Two (Play-Off Winners: 2017-18)
🏆 FA Cup (Winners: 1987)
🏆 FA Youth Cup (Winners: 1987)(Runners Up: 1968, 1970, 1999, 2000)
🏆 Football League Trophy (Winners: 2016-17)
🏆 Southern Professional Floodlit Cup (Winners: 1959-60)
🏆 Birmingham Senior Cup (Winners: 1910-11, 1922-23, 2006-07)
Matchday: England Women 2-1 Italy Women + Belgium Women 2-1 South Korea Women
We travelled to Coventry on a warm, spring, Sunday morning. Myself, AFC Finners (aka takeaway), and Luke the Stuart Dallas Fan arrived quite early in Coventry so we decided to look around the city centre for a bit. We ventured to the cathedral, which had a service taking place at the time we were there. It has to be said that the cathedral is a work of art, and is simply stunning. We then had lunch at Tortilla Coventry where we enjoyed a Burrito. We then headed to St Ives Bakery where we purchased a cake to eat. We then headed to the stadium.
When we arrived at the stadium, the England players were arriving, and there was a buzz around the place. We took our customary circuit of the ground, which consists of four large stands. The was a DJ playing and there were multiple food stands selling a wide range of foods. Sadly, I think the clear attempt at raising the atmosphere with a DJ fell on deaf ears as many felt really awkward to sing or dance. It was during our circuit that we met up with debutant, Raven! After this we headed in via the South Stand.
There are a lot of stalls inside the ground selling food as well. They range from Mexican food, to Pizzas, to burgers, to street food. I have never seen anyone eating Macaroni + Cheese at a football match before, but all records are meant to be broken. AFC Finners emerged with Macaroni and Cheese and said it was delicious (although he does say that about all food). It's great that there's such a variety of food at the ground which caters to everyone.
The atmosphere was reasonable at the game. Despite the annoying foghorns that they have decided should make the worst comeback since Elton John, the crowd was supportive and fully behind the team. As is often the case at women's matches, everybody was enjoying themselves and it was great to see. Also, can we stop doing Mexican waves now please?
Teamsheets
England Women
Manager: Sarina Wiegman
Ellie Roebuck
Alex Greenwood (c)
Keira Walsh
Lauren Hemp
Rachel Daly ⚽️ ⚽️
Jess Park
Jess Carter
Niamh Charles
Katie Robinson
Maya Le Tissier
Laura Coombs
Substitutes
Mary Earps
Lucy Bronze
Millie Bright
Leah Williamson
Chloe Kelly
Georgia Stanway
Alessia Russo
Ella Toone
Lauren James
Ebony Salmon
Katie Zelem
Sandy Maciver
Lotte Wubben-Moy
Jordan Nobbs
Italy Women
Manager: Milena Bertolini
Laura Guiliani
Valentina Bergamaschi
Martina Lenzini
Cecilia Salvai
Lisa Boattin
Manuela Giugliano
Aurora Galli
Martina Rosucci
Valentina Giancinti
Cristiana Girelli (c)
Barbara Bonansea
Substitutes
Maria Luisa Filangeri
Elena Linari
Sofia Cantore ⚽️
Katja Schroffenegger
Frederica Cafferata
Agnese Bonfantini
Annamaria Serturini
Elisa Polli
Arianna Caruso
Martina Piemonte
Giada Greggi
Rachele Baldi
Michela Catena
Benedetta Orsi
Emma Severini
In the beginning, the game was fairly even. Within the first five minutes, Ellie Roebuck was called into action, palming Valentina Gianciti's powerful effort away after Italy caught the hosts off guard on the counter attack. In what was her fourth appearance for her country, Laura Coombs started a well-worked move that gave the Lionesses the lead in a first half that saw the Azzuri defence thwart England attacks. The versatile midfielder expertly controlled the ball on the edge of the area before calmly teeing up Katie Robinson, whose whipped cross was met by a powerful Rachel Daly header from six yards out, which sent the ball into the net.
Wiegman's team was aiming for a third straight Arnold Clark Cup victory after defeating Korea Republic 4-0 in the opener. But, against the odds, Italy equalised just after the hour mark when Sofia Cantore's close range header was too venomous to handle, despite Roebuck's best efforts. Aston Villa's Daly headed Lauren James' inch-perfect cross home with her head on 71 minutes, putting the Lionesses back in front. In front of 32,000 fans in Coventry, the hosts held on for three crucial points.
Belgium Women
Manager: Ives Serneels
Diede Lemy
Justine Vanhaevermaet
Michelle Colson
Davina Philtjens
Laura Deloose
Tessa Wullaert (c) ⚽️
Kassandra Missipo
Valesca Ampoorter
Ella Van Kerkhoven
Hannah Eurlings
Sarah Wijnants
Substitutes
Nicky Evrard
Elena Dhont
Femke Bastiaen
Jill Janssens
Fran Meersman
Janice Cayman
Tine De Caigny ⚽️
Marie Detruyer
Julie Biesmans
Jody Vangheluwe
Welma Fon
South Korea Women
Manager: Colin Bell
Kim Jung-Mi
Lim Seonjoo
Shim Seo-Yeon
Kim Hyeri (c)
Jang Chang
Lee Geummin ⚽️
Jang Selgi
Choo Hyo-Joo
Son Hwayeon
Ji Soyun
Choe Yu-Ri
Substitutes
Kang Chaerim
Park Eun-Sun
Lee Eun-Young
Bae Ye-Bin
Ko Min- Jung
Chun Ga-Ram
Kim Yung-Ji
Yu-Been Jang
Lee Jeong-Min
Kim Kyeong-Hee
Hong Hye-Ji
Ji-Soo Ryu
Yee Un Park
Hye-Yeong Kim
Yoon Young-Guel
Geum-min Lee's early goal in the first ten minutes put the Republic ahead, and both teams had chances throughout the first half. However, Korea left themselves open in the 30th minute, allowing Belgium to take a shot on goal through Tessa Wullaert, and she would have scored through a goalkeeping error from J M Kim after she let it slip from her grasps, but the goalkeeper recovered to collect it. Belgium pressed the Koreans again five minutes before halftime, this time with an incredible chance from Ampoorter, who curled in from outside the box and hit the crossbar. Tessa Wullaert, Belgium's leading goalscorer, equalised just before halftime with her second goal of the tournament and 71st overall. The second half began and ended with end-to-end football and off-the-bar chances for both teams before Tine De Caigny tapped in from a corner to give Belgium their second goal of the night.
Scores On The Doors
Atmosphere: 7.5/10
Food and Drink: 7/10
Stadium: 8/10
Welcome: 6.5/10
Overall Experience: 7/10
GG
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