Blast from The Past: On This Day 1908 – Clarrie, CCFC’s Goal Machine Becomes A Bristol Bourton Babe

As that wonderful CCFC book of memories by CCFC author Steve Phelps ‘Coventry City – On This Day‘ reminds us the club’s greatest ever goalscorer was born one hundred and sixteen years ago today!

On 30th September 1908 our all time record goalscorer Clarrie Bourton was born in Paulton, near Bristol. His dad was a boot-maker who made his son’s footwear when a schoolboy with Paulton Wesleyans FC (1924) and Paulton United. (1926).

A printer by trade, he joined Bristol City in January 1927 but only got a lone goal in his four first team outings before Blackburn Rovers spotted his potential, signing him for £3700 in May 1928. A total of 42 goals in 72 appearances was Clarrie’s reward for the Ewood Park side before CCFC legendary ‘gaffer’ Harry Storer signed him for £750 in July 1931.

Clarrie the CCFC goal machine

The Bristolian totalled an amazing 182 goals in 241 first-team league and F.A.Cup appearances plus seven in nine in the Division Three South Cup –  a feat most unlikely to be surpassed in the current game.

His six seasons with the CCFC saw successive league tallies, in our Division Three South years, of 50, 43, 25, 29 and 26 goals rattled in plus another nine in our 1936-37 Division Two season before Clarrie moved on to Plymouth Argyle in October 1937 for a club record fee.

Clarrie, along with the likes of Jock Lauderdale, Billy Lake, Arthur ‘Rasher’ Bacon, Les Jones and George McNestry, was a substantial component of a Coventry City scoring purple patch (especially at Highfield Road).  During his time with the City from 1931-37 we scored a total of 577 league goals of which 173 came from Clarrie’s head and feet.

Clarrie finished his career back in his home town with Bristol City, eventually as player-manager, until retirement in July 1944 whence he worked being a printer’s representative and kept his Ashton Gate connection working in their pools office and until his death age 72 in April 1981. 

Clarrie still also shares a CCFC record with ‘Rasher’ Bacon and our late CCFPA member Cyrille Regis of scoring five goals in a game (in the 6-1 win over Bournemouth in October 1931)!

No wonder former CCFPA chairman Jim Brown‘s email ‘monniker’ is clarriebourton@ gmail.com!

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young (& Dean Nelson) for sourcing the graphic and images.

Members News: Cyrus Hits 32 Today! ‘Happy Birthday’ To ‘Cov Kid’ Ex Sky Blue!!

Cyrus in the Sky Blue

On this last day of the month of September we offer sincere Birthday wishes to our member, ‘Cov Kid’ and former Sky Blue defender Cyrus Christie (b. 30/09/1992) who is celebrating his 32nd birthday today!

The 2022-23 season saw Cyrus, having been released by Fulham, trying his luck with Sky Blue Championship rivals Hull City where he still is.  In the 2022/23 season the Coventrian played in both games between the Sky Blues and Tigers (in both cases from off the bench) and similarly was called upon last season at half-time in the game at Hull and the Sky Blues could only draw two and lose one of these games! At the time of writing, Cyrus has netted three times in his 56 outings for the Humbersiders.

Cyrus Christie (Hull City)

Cyrus began his career as a trainee at his home town club in 2010 and quickly made his name in the Sky Blues first team squad as an attack minded full back. By the time he left the Ricoh for Derby County at the end of the 2013-14 season he had clocked up 119 appearances in the CCFC shirt in all competitions and scored three goals. Coincidentally, that is the exact same number of appearances he made for the Rams (but two goals)!!  Cyrus was the East Midland club’s ‘young player of the year’ in 2015-16 and quickly established himself as a key first-team member.

In July 2017 Cyrus completed his transfer from the Rams to north-eastern outfit Middlesbrough for an undisclosed fee, believed to be £2.5m with a 15% sell-on clause! He scored his first goal for the Tees-siders in a 1-1 draw with Fulham (on 23 September 2017) and, before moving to that very club in January 2018, had clocked up 26 appearances and one goal for the ‘Boro.

Cyrus in Sky Blue action

Since joining Fulham at the end of January 2018 (for another undisclosed fee) and leaving in 2022 Cyrus made 68 appearances for the club netting twice. Cyrus made his debut for the Cottagers in a 1–1 draw at Bristol City and shared in their promotion push to the Premier League.  In September 2020 Cyrus moved a bit nearer his birthplace and went out on loan to East Midlands club Nottingham Forest making his debut in his club’s 1-0 Championship defeat at Huddersfield Town. In 2020-21 Cyrus turned out for the Garibaldi Reds 44 times before returning to Fulham. The following season apart from a sole appearance (his last) for his London club, from January 2022 Cyrus went out on loan again for the remainder of the season to  Swansea City and made 23 appearances netting three times for the Welsh club.

Cyrus Christie in RoI green

Cyrus’ international career (he qualifies for the Republic of Ireland through his Dublin-born grandmother) took off after moving to the Rams. He won his first Ireland call-up for the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifier against Scotland and the friendly against the USA in November 2014 and currently holds thirty caps (two goals).

On behalf of all Sky Blue fans CCFPA hope you have a fantastic day today Cyrus and we look forward to you returning to your home City for a CCFPA event to see us again when playing commitments allow!

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images.

 

Matchday Memories: On This Day 2012 – See CCFC’s Cody Catch Oldham Cold (For MR’s 1st Win)

On this day (29th September) in 2012 the Sky Blues were having a dreadful beginning to their League One season and still looking for their first league win eight league matches in. City’s ‘gaffer’ Andy Thorn had been given his marching orders at the end of August after three successive league draws at the season’s start.  Thorn’s Assistant (and now fellow CCFPA member) Richard Shaw had taken over as caretaker and, apart from winning his first game in charge, a 3-2 Capital One Cup victory over Birmingham City at the Ricoh, all the rest of his games were lost.

Sky Blue gaffer Mark Robins

This included five League One games and a Johnson’s Paint Trophy home defeat to Burton Albion (9-10 on penalties after extra time). Last time out the Sky Blues had been crushed 6-1 at Highbury by Arsenal in the Capital One Cup Third Round.  The only way, everyone in Sky Blue land hoped, was up and fingers were crossed for a new manager’s bounce as Mark Robins took over for his first Sky Blue game (first time round)!

Cody in the Sky Blue

Mark’s baptism was away from the Ricoh at Boundary Park, Oldham Athletic‘s ground and the Sky Blue Family’s fervent wishes were granted! They got a slender 1-0 victory in a poor game, as evidenced in the contemporary BBC Sport match report (below). The points were due to a late (89th minute) stooping header from City striker (and now CCFPA member) Cody McDonald. The ‘Latics had their chances and were the better side for periods of the game and missed out when Jose Baxter hit the post just before the hour! There were 562 members of the Sky Blue Army among the 4,022 crowd and they were mightily relieved with the win as it could have gone either way:-

Thanks to former CCFPA committee member Dean Nelson you can watch Cody’s goal by clicking on the link or image below:-

 https://youtu.be/0kYn7pi9Dx0

Cody (right) celebrates the late winner with Franck Moussa

The Sky Blues (CCFPA members underlined) took to the field as follows:-

Joe Murphy, Jordan Clarke (William Edjenguele -85), Jamie Reckord, Reece Brown, Richard Wood, Jamie Bailey, Conor Henderson (Cody McDonald -51), Franck Moussa, David McGoldrick, Gary McSheffrey (John Fleck -64) and Carl Baker

Unused Subs.: Chris Hussey, Stephen Elliott, Adam Barton and Chris Dunn (gk)

There was a number of loanees in City’s side:- Jamie B. from Derby County, Jamie R. from Wolverhampton Wanderers, Reece from Manchester United and Conor from the Arsenal.

Paul Dickov’s  ‘Latics lined up this way:-

Robbie Simpson with the Sky Blues

Dean Bouzanis, Jonathan Grounds, James Wesolowski (Robbie Simpson -91), Jean-Yves M’Voto, Lee Croft, Dean Furman (c), Matt Derbyshire, Cristian Montano, Cliff Byrne (Matt Smith -91), Jose Baxter and Reece Wabara  Unused Subs.: Conor Brown, James Tarkowsi, Youssouf M’Changama, Connor Hughes and Alex Cisak (gk)                      Referee: David Coote

Ex Sky Blue Robbie Simpson (now a CCFPA member) got the briefest flavour of the game in added on time at the end!

Under the new ‘gaffer’ Mark Robins results greatly improved (including completing the double over the ‘Latics at Highfield Road in January (winning 2-1). City soon climbed away from the lowly position they had occupied when MR arrived. However, after some policy disagreements with the owners, Mark left in in February 2013 to manage Huddersfield Town and former CCFC player Steven Pressley eventually took over from caretaker Lee Carsley (now Steven’s fellow CCFPA member) and piloted the club to a thirteenth place finish in League One. The following season ‘Elvis’ would have to face taking his team to play in exile at Northampton Town‘s Sixfields stadium.

CCFC 2012-13 (between Thorn & Robins)

Doncaster Rovers, who took the League One title, and runners up Bournemouth were promoted to the Championship along with fourth placed Yeovil Town (via the play offs).

Scunthorpe United, Bury, Hartlepool United and Portsmouth were relegated to League Two.

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images.

Members News: Two Former Players, Fanky & ‘Ponters’, On the Move!

Just in case you missed it we have received news that two Sky Blue favourites, both CCFPA members) of recent seasons have been furthering their careers with club moves now they have left the Ricoh/ CBS Arena!

Fanky in CCFC’s City of Culture 3rd strip

Fankaty Dabo was one of the casualties of the relegation of previous club Forest Green Rovers from the Football League last May. FRG finished bottom of League Two last season and were forced to shed players. Another ex Sky Blue (and Fanky’s fellow CCFPA member) defender Richard Keogh also left the club for the same reason. Fanky had left the Sky Blues on a free in summer 2023 and ended up playing 34 times (without netting) for FRG in 2023-24. The speedy and skilful wing back has found a new birth with Scottish Championship club Raith Rovers for the current season.

Fankaty Dabo (Raith Rovers)

Fanky has retained a soft spot for CCFC and was with us at Wembley for the Sky Blues unlucky defeat to Manchester United last season in the F.A.Cup sem-final. A product of the Chelsea Academy whilst with the Blues he also played on loan for both Swindon Town and Vitesse Arnhem in 2017 and 2018 picking up England junior caps at U16-20 levels before joining the Sky Blues in June 2019.

He won the Association’s ‘Player of the Season Award’ in his first season with CCFC. Fanky played 131 times for the Sky Blues without scoring before moving to FRG in September 2023.

Jordan Ponticelli in the Sky Blue

The second former Sky Blue on the move is our former young forward Jordan Ponticelli. ‘Ponters’, who  has recently signed for Halesowen Town, is a local lad born in Nuneaton and was a product of the famed Sky Blue Academy earning his professional first team debut in a 3–1 defeat by Blackburn Rovers in an EFL Cup tie in August 2017. He followed up with his League debut off the bench in the 85th minute of a 0–0 draw against Barnet on 7th October the same year.

Jordan Ponticelli (Halesowen)

By the time he left Coventry City for Wrexham in Jan 2020 (after a loan spell there) Jordan had clocked up six goals in his 32 Sky Blues appearances, not a bad strike rate considering only five of these were starts and the rest were off the bench! Whilst with City he also had loan spells with Macclesfield Town and Tranmere Rovers.

After being released by the North Welsh club in July 2022 Jordan linked up with National League North side Kings Lynn Town and since a couple of days ago (in late September 2024) ‘Ponters’ is now trying his luck with ‘The Yeltz’ at Halesowen.

We wish both of our members well in their future careers with their new clubs!

Thanks to CCFPA’s Mike Young for sourcing the images