Stage 3 of our examination of the financial architecture of the Football League's clubs sees us head to Coventry. Ian Palmer is a friend and associate of Neil Allison, custodian of the Sky Blues Blog and here provides his thoughts on the slough of despond facing the Sky Blues, a situation that has been allowed to develop both on and off the pitch.

Name: David Phillips In his 1990s prime for: Norwich City, Nottingham Forest Lowdown: Phillips was already 29 when the Premier League started, having played for Coventry, Plymouth and Manchester City throughout the 1980s, including winning the FA Cup in 1987 with Coventry. However, he became Norwich City's record signing when he joined for £550,000 and [.

Republic of Ireland captain Robbie Keane has joined Aston Villa on-loan for two months, 13 years ago Keane could have joined the Villians but instead joined Coventry. Keane becomes the third MLS high profile played to join up with a EPL club during the MLS off-season with Landon Donovan and Thierry Henry already signed up for Everton and Arsenal respectively

By Chris Wright

Thirteen years after coming this close you should see how close I'm holding my fingers right now to joining Villa from Wolves (a financial snag saw him toddle off to Coventry instead) in 1999, Robbie Keane has finally made the move to Villa Park on a two-month loan deal from LA Galaxy.

Man United's humiliating cup defeats: Palace, Leeds, Southampton, Coventry, Bournemouth and more

Six of the best cup upsets against the men from Old Trafford

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A news article on 2011-12-01 17:46:48 from: Talksport

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Jonny Evans made his debut for United in the League Cup against Coventry in 2007. Four years later he was named captain of the side that had the opportunity to reach the semi-finals. However, following the 2-1 defeat, Evans has claimed that he would swap the captaincy for a win.

"Before the game I was delighted to be given the armband, but I'd happily take that away to have the victory instead," he said.

It's been the week of loans in B6 with no less than four players heading out to get some competitive football elsewhere.

Firstly, Habib Beye went to Doncaster, initially until January, but hopefully a deal to take him through to the end of the season (and his Villa contract) won't be out of the question.

Dare I say the game is overtaking these lads?

An overseas video on how Beckham and MLS are viewed by dare we say xenophobic pundits.

Interesting here that the two ex-players involved in this exchange has interesting backgrounds:

Dion Dublin played some of his best ball at Coventry in partnership with none other than MLS star Darren Huckerby he featured for about 15 games at Manchester United but over 140 at Aston Villa as well.

Shock plan to let FANS decide substitutions

Former Coventry board member wanted X-Factor style voting on which player went off and who would come on

View the full story here: The Mirror

A news article on 2011-11-17 17:07:20 from: The Mirror

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Bet it will be easier for a young English born Indian/Pakistani footballer to get into the India or Pakistani national team than it has been for a similar kid to make progress in cricket in the UK.
Interesting times in Asia for football.
Asian Football Business Review reports:

South Asian giants plan football promotion series for their expatriates in England
An innovative joint marketing effort by the All India Football Federation and the Pakistan Football Federation, will promote football to over 2 million of their countries' compatriates and their decendents living in England through three international friendlies.

‘Football fans have been exposed to the type of policing historically that is probably unfair and untargeted. I think it's evolved, I think it's moved on. My football unit police with the best interests of football fans that are around safety and that's our principle driver. It's not you and us at all.

`There was no hope left. No one even shouted at the players.' Conversation over post-match drinks with a Coventry-supporting friend on Tuesday night was dominated by such sentiments. Toning down my personal delight at City's 3-0 capitulation at Millwall, I murmured in sympathy. The draining away of hope among the Sky Blues in the Den's North Stand was not dissimilar to the feeling elicited by

`There was no hope left. No one even shouted at the players.' Conversation over post-match drinks with a Coventry-supporting friend on Tuesday night was dominated by such sentiments. Toning down my personal delight at City's 3-0 capitulation at Millwall, I murmured in sympathy. The draining away of hope among the Sky Blues in the Den's North Stand was not dissimilar to the feeling elicited by

How many emotions can one football team make you feel just three months into the season?
Elation: Check (Bristol Away)
Anger: Check (Peterborough Away)
Pride: Check (Coventry at Home)
Hope: Check (West Ham Away)
A little bit Lucky: Check (Portsmouth at Home)
Pure Frustration: Check (Millwall Away)


August's trip to Peterborough was devastating because it highlighted what a mess the side were in at the time.

GENESIS 1-1 HOUGHTON RANGERS (after extra time; Genesis won 9-8 on penalty kicks)
Saturday 29th October 2011
Leicestershire Intermediate Cup 2nd Round Lodge Farm, Oakley Drive, Loughborough
The drive from the University to Oakley Drive is less than a mile but with having some time to kill between the games I went and had some lunch before arriving at the venue about ten minutes before kick off.

Coventry starlet says no to Liverpool

Thomas has been on loan at Reds but will sign new deal at parent club

View the full story here: The Mirror

A news article on 2011-10-21 20:29:15 from: The Mirror

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Two totally different games are the main features of this weeks show a dominant destruction of Doncaster last Friday and a clueless cock up against Coventry at home, last Tuesday. Hear the the "fan at the game" match reports and the manager's thoughts on both games plus listeners email views on the games and some player interviews as well!

News in the Daily Mirror today that Newcastle United are interested in Coventry youngster Cyrus Christie. Cyrus Christie Coventry's 19 year-old first team right back The young Coventry-born defender only turned 19 at the end of last month, and he looks a promising player who is now a first team regular at his home [.

Three defeats on the bounce, into the relegation zone after eleven games an eye witness account of a fairly typically poor showing from the boys in Red at Coventry. These are the stats and facts that will be running through the mind of Steve Cotterill as he takes charge of his first game as Forest manager.

By attending the 1-0 defeat at Coventry, Steve Cotterill will have witnessed a microcosm of Forest's season so far; some [...] Read the original post on eighteensixtyfive

Liverpool are prepared to let midfielder Jonjo Shelvey leave the club on a short term loan deal as they attempt to give the youngster a chance to play first team football.
Shelvey was signed from Charlton in the summer of 2010 and despite arriving with a big reputation has so far struggled to force his way into the starting eleven.

Liverpool look to loan Jonjo Shelvey to a Championship club

Liverpool are prepared to let midfielder Jonjo Shelvey leave on loan in a bid to kick-start his Anfield career. Cardiff, Coventry, Birmingham, Hull City and Middlesbrough are all keen.

View the full story here: The Mail

A news article on 2011-09-26 22:54:32 from: The Mail

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During Ipswich's game with Coventry last night, both Jimmy Bullard and Keith Andrews wanted to take a free kick. How did they settle who got to take it? Like men with a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors... I'm not a fan of the game because whenever I have a kickabout with friends, we always do rock-paper-scissors [.

By Chris Wright

In which Ipswich pair Jimmy Bullard and Keith Andrews rile manager Paul Jewell by undermining a week's worth of set-piece training by deciding free-kick duties with an impromptu game of 'Rock, Paper, Scissors' during the Tractor Boy's 3-0 win over Coventry in the Championship last night.

Straight from the training ground Ipswich showed the careful planning and strategy that goes into their set-pieces during last night's match against Coventry. Midfielders Jimmy Bullard and Keith Andrews both fancied a crack at a free-kick, so they settled their dispute with a quick on-pitch game of Rock, Paper, Scissors.

After the jump, you'll find some movie pictures from a couple of youth matches over the past week or so. Thanks, as always, to EskWeston for the contributions. This guy does fantastic work so be sure to subscribe to his YouTube page and follow him on Twitter.

Old youth team photo

Black 5-3 Blue
14 September
This was a game featuring mixed teams of Under-18s and reserve players.

Written by Illybongani

Much has been said about the perceived success (or lack of it), of Wenger's ‘Project Youth', particularly since the move to the Emirates. Arsenal Football Club are now seen as standard bearers in the development of young professional footballers. But is this accolade warranted or is it a misnomer?

Liverpool is now favourites to sign Birmingham centre-back Scott Dann.
Reds boss Kenny Dalglish allowed experience defender Soto Kyrgiakos to leave for Wolfsburg yesterday, sparking speculation that a deal for Dann was close.
Arsenal and Chelsea have both been linked with a move for the Liverpool-born player, but he has his heart set on a switch to Anfield.

The transfer of Cesc Fabregas from Arsenal to Barcelona may have dragged on, but surely not even the most ardent Arsenal fan begrudges him his move back to his hometown club; the team he has supported all of his life.
Even though he was clearly delighted to be joining his new club, Fabregas was classy enough to pay tribute to the club he was leaving behind:
"I was just a servant and spent eight years there when I gave absolutely everything.

Robbie Keane's dreams come true: Spurs, Liverpool, Wolves, Celtic, Coventry, Inter, LA Galaxy, Crumlin United...

'I have a dream!' Why Keano's the football equivalent of Martin Luther King

View the full story here: Talksport

A news article on 2011-08-16 16:17:30 from: Talksport

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Robbie Keane's dreams come true: Spurs, Liverpool, Wolves, Celtic, Coventry, Inter, LA Galaxy, Crumlin United...

'I have a dream!' Why Keano's the football equivalent of Martin Luther King

View the full story here: Talksport

A news article on 2011-08-16 16:17:30 from: Talksport

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Robbie Keane's dreams come true: Spurs, Liverpool, Wolves, Celtic, Coventry, Inter, LA Galaxy, Crumlin United...

'I have a dream!' Why Keano's the football equivalent of Martin Luther King

View the full story here: Talksport

A news article on 2011-08-16 16:17:30 from: Talksport

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Robbie Keane's dreams come true: Spurs, Liverpool, Wolves, Celtic, Coventry, Inter, LA Galaxy, Crumlin United...

'I have a dream!' Why Keano's the football equivalent of Martin Luther King

View the full story here: Talksport

A news article on 2011-08-16 16:17:30 from: Talksport

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Robbie Keane's dreams come true: Spurs, Liverpool, Wolves, Celtic, Coventry, Inter, LA Galaxy, Crumlin United...

'I have a dream!' Why Keano's the football equivalent of Martin Luther King

View the full story here: Talksport

A news article on 2011-08-16 16:17:30 from: Talksport

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Robbie Keane's dreams come true: Spurs, Liverpool, Wolves, Celtic, Coventry, Inter, LA Galaxy, Crumlin United...

'I have a dream!' Why Keano's the football equivalent of Martin Luther King

View the full story here: Talksport

A news article on 2011-08-16 16:17:30 from: Talksport

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Robbie Keane's dreams come true: Spurs, Liverpool, Wolves, Celtic, Coventry, Inter, LA Galaxy, Crumlin United...

'I have a dream!' Why Keano's the football equivalent of Martin Luther King

View the full story here: Talksport

A news article on 2011-08-16 16:17:30 from: Talksport

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Robbie Keane's dreams come true: Spurs, Liverpool, Wolves, Celtic, Coventry, Inter, LA Galaxy, Crumlin United...

'I have a dream!' Why Keano's the football equivalent of Martin Luther King

View the full story here: Talksport

A news article on 2011-08-16 16:17:30 from: Talksport

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Robbie Keane's dreams come true: Spurs, Liverpool, Wolves, Celtic, Coventry, Inter, LA Galaxy, Crumlin United...

'I have a dream!' Why Keano's the football equivalent of Martin Luther King

View the full story here: Talksport

A news article on 2011-08-16 16:17:30 from: Talksport

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Robbie Keane's dreams come true: Spurs, Liverpool, Wolves, Celtic, Coventry, Inter, LA Galaxy, Crumlin United...

'I have a dream!' Why Keano's the football equivalent of Martin Luther King

View the full story here: Talksport

A news article on 2011-08-16 16:17:30 from: Talksport

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Robbie Keane is currently en route to Los Angeles in order to finalize a sensational move to sign with LA Galaxy. The Spurs striker, who has also played at Wolves, Inter Milan, Coventry and Leeds and Celtic, has been desperate for a new challenge in recent months and MLS seems to be the answer.