OpeningOpening Words Words A first league title for Coventry City since this is the same club as the one that 1967. This has season has seen the team limped from defeat to defeat under pull off a truly remarkable achievement. Russell Slade. Being a Coventry City fan However, due to the premature no longer attracts the level of sympathy curtailment of the campaign, that sense of that it once did. achievement is diminished. That is a testament to the job that Mark It’s hard to argue that this team doesn’t Robins has done since his return to the deserve promotion. The league table quite club, he has truly achieved the clearly shows us as top by a large margin. unthinkable. It is hard now not to look at There is no-one out there disputing that the future of this football club in a Coventry City aren’t deserved champions. positive light – even while we remain exiled from the city of Coventry and the In this state of lockdown that we are in, it impact of the pandemic is unknown. is perhaps hard to comprehend just how monumental that feeling would have been This season review will hopefully provide to have seen and felt those crowning a full breakdown and analysis of every moments in person. It’s been 53 years minutiae of this fantastic season – or, since this club last won a league title, who rather, four-fifths of a season. Starting knows when that opportunity will come with a look at the other League One around again? teams, then at each individual Coventry City player, the story of the season, Being in a higher league is only half the finishing off with the prestigious prize of winning promotion. Having those Sideways Sammy Awards (known in the moments to celebrate with the players industry as ‘The Sammys’), then a look and fellow fans are so important in a ahead at the next chapter for this football pastime where there are so many club. draining, demoralising spells that make you question why you keep coming. As ever, I would like to say big thanks to anyone who is currently reading this That said, it’s only natural to be excited season review. A lot of work goes into this about the prospect of seeing Coventry and it really means a lot to me knowing City back in the Championship. It’s been a that people actually read and enjoy this. A long and hard eight years where the club special thanks also goes out to anyone has been on the verge of extinction on who goes out of their way to share this multiple occasions. The Championship via social media or word of mouth, it’s has seemed a far and distant land. really appreciated. The turnaround since that dark relegation Enjoy! season from League One has been remarkable. It is difficult to believe that Dominic The Sideways Sammy Season Review – 2019/20 1 Contents 3-30 Club-By-Club Reviews 91-97 Part Five A look at the seasons of each Confidence & of the League One clubs. Composure 25th January 2020 – 7th March 31-64 Player Reviews 2020. A look at the each of the Coventry City players who Part Six have made it onto the pitch 98-99 this season. Cancellation th th 14 March 2020 – 9 June Story of the Season 2020. 66-99 A part-by-part review of how the campaign unfolded. 100-102 The Manager A look at the work Mark Part One Robins has done this season. 67-72 New Environs 103-104 Most Important Player 1st July 2019 – 20th August The most prestigious Sammy 2019. award. Part Two 73-74 105-106 Most Improved Player Heading To The Top The second-most prestigious 24th August 2019 – 28th Sammy award. September 2019. 107-109 The Next Chapter 78-84 Part Three A look at what the future may Seeking Solutions have in store for both Coventry City and football in 5th October 2019 – 14th general. December 2019. 85-90 Part Four Solutions Found 21st December 2019 – 18th January 2020. The Sideways Sammy Season Review – 2019/20 2 Club-By-Club Reviews The Sideways Sammy Season Review – 2019/20 3 The Sideways Sammy Season Review – 2019/20 4 Accrington Stanley Final Position: 17th Top Scorer: What I Said… Colby Bishop (10) “While Accrington’s squad looks among the weaker at this level, they 18th in League have a manager who tends to get the best out of limited resources. They should avoid a struggle and perhaps could push on a little higher.” Most Assists: The Manager Seamus Conneely in midfield, Jordan Clark & Joe with the creativity of Jordan John Coleman: Has regenerated Clark and Sean McConville out Pritchard (6) the squad ably over the course of wide, former Leamington the season, integrating new stars 10th in League forward, Colby Bishop has had a into the side while still getting break-out season after arriving Most Goals the best out of the old guard. from non-league. He has been supported by the dynamic Involved In: Star Player second-striker Dion Charles, the Jordan Clark & Dion Jordan Clark: A technically versatile central midfielder/winger Joe Pritchard Charles (12) skilful and intelligent wide-man who has continued his and an improved Sam Finley. 24th in League improvement at the club with a While John Coleman has at times productive campaign for scoring struggled to figure out his Most Minutes and creating chances. Out of preferred XI and system, results contract heading into the Played: were just about consistent summer, Clark looks set to test enough to keep Stanley out of Jordan Clark (3,060) himself at a bigger club. danger. 12th in League Overview Although Accrington will probably lose a few key players Players Used: For a club of such limited over the summer, John resources, unexpectedly having Coleman’s track record would 27 to deal with losing their star suggest they can weather those striker, Billy Kee, to an eventual 13th in League potential losses fairly retirement could have been comfortably. While they may be enough to send them on a Clean Sheets: particularly hard-hit were next downward trajectory. However, season to begin behind closed 7 some smart recruitment in the doors, they are a club who have a transfer market has freshened th habit of succeeding on limited 18 in League things up, keeping Accrington financial resources. out of relegation danger and reducing the average age of the squad. Adding to that established core of Mark Hughes at the back, The Sideways Sammy Season Review – 2019/20 5 AFC Wimbledon Final Position: 20th Top Scorer: What I Said… Marcus Forss (11) “With the goals of Joe Pigott and some useful counter-attacking options, 12th in League AFC Wimbledon should be a frustrating team to play against... Safety seems an achievable target.” Most Assists: The Manager keeping AFC Wimbledon’s head above water. Luke O’Neill (5) Glyn Hodges: Stepped A fairly porous defensive record 20th in League reluctantly into the role as manager after the suspension, has put pressure on AFC Most Goals then sacking, of predecessor Wimbledon’s midfielders and forwards to salvage points over Involved In: Wally Downes. Has helped improve results after a poor the campaign. The clinical Brentford loanee, Marcus Forss, Marcus Forss (12) start, but it remains to be seen what he can do as a manager was in excellent goal-scoring 24th in League over a longer-term period. form before an injury-enforced recall in January, however, Glyn Most Minutes Star Player Hodges has been able to find goals from a variety of sources Played: Callum Reilly: The former throughout the rest of the team. Gillingham midfielder has been a Joe Pigott (2,819) useful and reliable performer Having released a number of 39th in League since his arrival at the club this senior players following the summer. Energetic, technically curtailment of the League One Players Used: solid, capable of scoring goals, season, the indications are that Reilly has made contributions AFC Wimbledon will be one of 30 across a number of different several clubs for whom finances positions. will be really stretched next 6th in League season. With an inexperienced Overview Clean Sheets: manager in charge, anything over than another brave fight AFC Wimbledon did just enough against the drop seems like it will 7 this season to ensure they would be an achievement. 18th in League be opening their new Plough Lane home next season in League AFC Wimbledon fans will be One. Having failed to build on a hoping that the club eventually ‘great escape’ survival last year, sees the rewards of moving into a Wally Downes’ betting-induced new, larger ground in the years suspension allowed the club to to come. change things up in the dug-out, which has gone a long way to The Sideways Sammy Season Review – 2019/20 6 Blackpool Final Position: 13th Top Scorer: What I Said… Armand Gnanduillet “The speed of the transition into a new era over the summer may have (14) come a little too soon... It may be a slow start, but Blackpool are a side who should trouble the top six as the season progresses.” 4th in League The Manager feelgood stories of this Football Most Assists: League season. Neil Critchley: The ex-Liverpool Liam Feeney (15) youth-team manager made a The blueprint for the early part name for himself thanks to of the season was simple and 1st in League Jurgen Klopp’s disdain for cup effective, give the ball to Liam Most Goals competitions, providing Critchley Feeney, watch him cross it to the profile to take the Blackpool Armand Gnanduillet to score.