Stop Press: Kevin Drinkell’s book Coventry signing tonight off!!!

Kevin Drinkell was to be in Coventry tonight (Friday 17th December 2010) promoting his autobiography ‘Drinks All Round’ (Black & White Books £14.99) doing a Q&A session at the Royal Warwicks Club, Tower Street Coventry and signing copies of his book.   CCFPA was also hosting a raffle at the event.  

Unfortunately the inclement weather has prevented Kevin making the journey south so the event has had to be postponed. Kevin sends his apologies and instead it is hoped to hold the session early in the new year.  

Hucks is our special guest against Norwich (with John, Greg and Kevin too)

Darren in 1997-98

Just to remind everyone that the Association will be welcoming Sky Blue ace Darren Huckerby as our special guest for the upcoming game against another one of his previous clubs, Norwich City, next Saturday (18th December 2010). Scorer of many a memorable Premier League goal for the Sky Blues Darren will be coming to the Ricoh as our guest for the first time and we welcome him. 

Darren will be around and about the corporate lounges before the game, will be introduced to the fans at half time and we hope will be available to meet Sky Blue supporters in the G-Casino after the game.

Also at the game as guest of the Association and a rare visitor will be Association Member and  F.A.Cup hero Greg Downs with his family. In what would be a full house of Sky Blue Stars next Saturday we also hope to welcome 1960’s winger Peter Denton and Greg’s contemporary from the late 1980s, striker Kevin Drinkell. Both Greg and Kevin, of course, also used to play for Norwich City. A more recent alumni of both clubs who will be a CCFC guest at the Norwich game will be Andy Marshall whom we hope to sign up for the Association.

Greg in 1988

Kevin in 1988

Further, weather permitting, we hope to have 60’s striker John Tudor at the Ricoh signing copies of his new autobiography. John will be in the foyer of the G-Casino at the Ricoh before the game.

Benno joins the CCFPA Committee

We are delighted to announce that long time Association member and Sky Blue F.A.Cup hero Dave Bennett has accepted our invitation to join the CCFPA Committee. Dave will fill the gap left by the recent resignation of David Busst and help to foster the Association’s links with both FPs and the current playing staff.

Dave is a frequent visitor to matches at the Ricoh and a regular in the Legends Lounge and has been an eager and welcome participant in many of the Association’s past activities. We look forward to a long and happy association.  

Report from Norman Smith’s funeral

The Association was represented at the funeral service of Association member and former City forward Norman Smith at Holy Trinity church Coventry continued at Canley crematorium yesterday (December 8th 2010). Coventry City’s oldest surviving player and the last surviving Bantam’s player to have pulled on the Club’s shirt before the outbreak of WW2 Norman sadly passed away on Thursday 18th November 2010 a few days before his 91st Birthday. 

Committee members Bob Eales and Frank Pritchard were present to convey the Association’s condolences.  Bob reports the occasion as follows:-
 
“Frank Pritchard and myself attended  the funeral of Norman Smith today; also in attendance was Former Player Jack Evans and representatives of Bedworth United.  The funeral was held at the Holy Trinity Church in Coventry followed by a cremation service at Canley Crematorium.  During the service it was stated that Norman was a complete gentleman, and never spoke too much about his achievements, he lived in the north east, when he was 15 the family moved to Coventry to look for work that didn’t involve mining.  It was then that Coventy City spotted his talent and signed him up.
 
The war stopped his career for a while, the day after the break out of war Norman joined the RAF although he wanted to join the Navy but they turned him down, as the family said it was the Navy’s loss but the RAF’s gain.  Norman became a pilot for 64 Squadron, Fighter Command, he was once asked what it felt like preparing for a mission and if he ever thought about not returning, his only response was “if I don’t return then I will have done my best for King and Country”. This goes a long way to saying what type of man Norman was.
 
After the funeral we were invited back to the family home, we met the family including Norman’s wife Peggy, it didn’t take long for the pictures and cuttings to come out, there was a picture of Norman representing Birmingham County FA as Captain and we also saw his Cap from the game. Peggy told us how she hated football and how she got told off by one of the trainers by the name of Dick Hill for not feeding Norman properly. 

The family are rightly proud of Norman’s achievements in his life and the time they had with him, we would like to thank the family for their hospitality and wish them well for the future”.

I’m sure all of our Members (and readers) would wish to echo these sentiments. 

An appreciation of Norman’s career is provided on our ‘Gone but not Forgotten’  pages.

Norman challenges the Wednesday goalkeeper at Highfield Rd. 22/11/47