The 2008–09 season was Coventry City's 89th season in The Football League and their 8th consecutive season in the Football League Championship. Along with competing in the Championship, the club also participated in the FA Cup and Football League Cup. The season covers the period from 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009.
Review and events
Monthly events This is a list of the significant events to occur at the club during the 2008-09 season, presented in chronological order. This list does not include transfers, which are listed in the transfers section below, or match results, which are in the results section.
June: 13 - Coventry City draw Aldershot Town at home in the League Cup First Round. 16 - Life President Mike McGinnity and former player Cyrille Regis receive MBEs in The Queen's birthday honours list. 16 - Coventry City's fixtures for the 2008/2009 Championship season are announced 23 - Coventry City announce the new squad numbers for the forthcoming season.
July: 4 - Coventry City travel to Switzerland for pre-season tour where they will face Romanian side FC Brașov and Swiss side Stade Nyonnais.
August: 4 - Scott Dann is named new club captain for the 2008-09 season, taking over from Michael Doyle. 5 - Coventry City announce new association with Coventry Sphinx. 11 - Keiren Westwood on his debut, is named in the Official Football League Championship team of the week, following his performance against Norwich City. 13 - Coventry City celebrate their 125th anniversary, they mark the event with a victory over Aldershot Town in the League Cup. 13 - Coventry City draw Newcastle United at home in the League Cup Second Round.
September: 23 - Elliott Ward and Daniel Fox are named in the Official Football League Championship team of the week, following their performances against Queens Park Rangers.
October: 6 - Daniel Fox is named in the Official Football League Championship team of the week, following his performances against Cardiff City and Southampton. 9 - Marcus Hall is to be awarded a testimonial match after 14 season with the Sky Blues.
November: 8 - Former Coventry City and Belgium international defender Régis Genaux passes away from a heart failure due to a pulmonary embolism 24 - Keiren Westwood and Daniel Fox are named in the Official Football League Championship team of the week, following their performances against Sheffield Wednesday. 30 - Coventry City draw Kidderminster Harriers at home in the FA Cup Third Round.
December: 3 - Livingston captain James McPake signs a pre-contract agreement with the Sky Blues. 15 - Coventry City unveil limited edition 125th anniversary kit which will go on sale on the last day of the season.
January: 4 - Coventry City draw Torquay United away in the FA Cup Fourth Round. 12 - Defender Ben Turner signs new two-year contract, keeping him at the club until 2011. 14 - Coventry City take defender Quido Lanzaat on trial, with the view of making him a permanent signing. 20 - Daniel Fox's freekick against Swansea City is voted Sky Blues' 2008 Goal Of The Year. 25 - Coventry City draw Sunderland or Blackburn Rovers (dependent on reply) away in the FA Cup Fifth Round. 26 - Coventry City take Indian international forward Sunil Chhetri on trial, with the view of making him a permanent signing.
February: 2 - Michael Doyle is named in the Official Football League Championship team of the week, following his performances against Cardiff City and Derby County. 4 - Coventry City will face Blackburn Rovers away in the FA Cup Fifth Round, following Blackburn Rovers reply win over Sunderland. 15 - Coventry City will face Chelsea at home in the FA Cup Quarter Final if they can over come Blackburn Rovers. 23 - Scott Dann is named in the Official Football League Championship team of the week, following his performance against Birmingham City.
March: 5 - Chris Coleman is named the Football League Championship Manager of the Month for February. 8 - New attendance record of 31,407 is set at the Ricoh Arena as Coventry City host Chelsea in the FA Cup Quarter Finals. 12 - Jordan Henderson is called up to the England Under-19 squad for the first time - for their friendly against Czech Republic Under-19. 18 - Chris Coleman is charged with improper conduct and/or bringing the game into disrepute for criticising referee Steve Bennett's performance against Chelsea.
April: 6 - Ben Turner is named in the Official Football League Championship team of the week, following his performance against Reading. 15 - Keiren Westwood wins South Wales Supporters' Club's Player of The Season Award for 2008/2009. 27 - Keiren Westwood & Daniel Fox are named in the 2009 PFA Championship Team Of The Year. 30 - Goalkeeper Danny Ireland signs new two-year contract, keeping him at the club until 2011.
May: 4 - Aron Gunnarsson wins Community Player of The Season Award for 2008/2009. 4 - Ben Turner wins Young Player of The Season Award for 2008/2009. 4 - David Bell wins Goal of The Season Award for 2008/2009 for his strike against Doncaster Rovers. 4 - Clinton Morrison wins Top Scorer Award for 2008/2009. 4 - Daniel Fox wins Player' Player of The Season Award for 2008/2009. 4 - Aron Gunnarsson wins Player of The Season Award for 2008/2009. 13 - Assistant Manager Steve Kean is told he is free to move on to another club. 22 - Steve Harrison is appointed new Assistant Manager to Chris Coleman, replacing the outgoing Steve Kean 29 - Keiren Westwood & Leon Best win their first full international caps for Republic of Ireland in a friendly against Nigeria .
Squad details
Players information
No.NameNat.Place of birthDate of birthClub apps.Club goalsInt. capsInt. goalsPrevious clubDate joinedFee 1 Keiren Westwood Manchester 23 October 1984 - - - - Carlisle United 18 June 2008 £500,000 2 Stephen Wright Bootle 8 February 1980 - - - - Sunderland 8 August 2008 Free 3 Marcus Hall Coventry 24 March 1976 235 2 - - Stoke City 21 February 2005 Free 4 Daniel Fox Winsford 29 May 1986 18 1 - - Walsall 28 January 2008 Undisclosed 5 Elliott Ward Harrow 19 January 1985 82 10 - - West Ham United 16 June 2006 £1,000,000 6 Scott Dann Liverpool 14 February 1987 16 0 - - Walsall 31 January 2008 Undisclosed 7 Guillaume Beuzelin Le Havre 14 April 1979 - - - - Hibernian 2 June 2008 Free 8 Michael Doyle Dublin 8 July 1981 230 17 1 0 Celtic 1 July 2003 Free 9 Leon Best Nottingham 19 September 1986 40 9 - - Southampton 6 July 2007 £650,000 10 Freddy Eastwood Basildon 29 October 1983 - - 9 4 Wolverhampton Wanderers 11 July 2008 £1,200,000 11 Julian Gray Lewisham 21 September 1979 29 3 - - Birmingham City 10 July 2007 Free 12 Aron Gunnarsson Akureyri 22 April 1989 - - 3 0 AZ Alkmaar 17 June 2008 Undisclosed 13 Dimitrios Konstantopoulos Thessaloniki 29 November 1978 23 0 - - Hartlepool United 30 June 2007 Free 14 Leon McKenzie Croydon 17 May 1978 44 9 - - Norwich City 31 August 2006 £1,000,000 16 Isaac Osbourne Coventry 22 June 1986 93 0 - - N/A 1 January 2003 Trainee 17 Michael Mifsud Pietà 17 April 1981 66 21 56 19 Lillestrøm 10 January 2007 Free 18 Jordan Henderson Sunderland 17 June 1990 - - - - Sunderland 29 January 2009 Loan 19 Clinton Morrison Tooting 14 May 1979 - - 36 9 Crystal Palace 7 August 2008 Free 20 Ben Turner Birmingham 21 January 1988 27 0 - - N/A 1 July 2005 Trainee 21 Jay Tabb Tooting 21 February 1984 81 9 - - Brentford 30 June 2006 Undisclosed 21 James McPake Bellshill 24 June 1984 - - - - Livingston 2 February 2009 Undisclosed 22 Chris Birchall Stafford 5 May 1984 33 2 26 4 Port Vale 3 August 2006 £325,000 22 Lee Sawyer London 9 October 1989 - - - - Chelsea 26 January 2009 Loan 23 Danny Ireland Australia 30 September 1990 - - - - N/A 1 July 2007 Trainee 24 Robbie Simpson Cambridge 15 March 1985 34 2 - - Cambridge United 3 August 2006 £40,000 25 Kevin Kyle Stranraer 7 June 1981 47 5 - - Sunderland 25 August 2006 £600,000 25 David Bell Kettering 21 January 1984 - - - - Norwich City 30 January 2009 £500,000 28 Gary Borrowdale Sutton 16 July 1985 26 0 - - Crystal Palace 6 July 2007 £400,000 29 Kevin Thornton Drogheda 9 July 1986 50 2 - - N/A 20 September 2005 Trainee 31 Donovan Simmonds England 12 October 1988 - - - - Charlton Athletic 1 July 2007 Free 33 Andy Marshall Bury 14 April 1975 63 0 - - Millwall 30 June 2006 Free 35 Jermaine Grandison Birmingham 15 December 1990 - - - - N/A 1 June 2008 Trainee 36 Adam Walker Chester 23 March 1987 - - - - Chester City 1 June 2008 Free 37 Jordan Clarke Coventry 19 November 1991 - - - - N/A 1 June 2008 Trainee 38 Sean Fraser Coventry 8 February 1991 - - - - N/A 1 June 2008 Trainee 39 Curtis Wynter Coventry 24 June 1991 - - - - N/A 1 June 2008 Trainee 40 Ashley Cain Coventry 27 September 1990 - - - - N/A 1 June 2008 Trainee
Matches
Pre-season friendlies
Football League Championship
League Cup
FA Cup
Championship data
League table
Results summary
Round by round
Season statistics
Starts & Goals
Notes: Player substitutions are not included.
Goalscorers No.FlagPosNameChampionshipLeague CupFA CupTotal19FW1020 125DF501 64DF500 524FW320 56DF310 49MF202 410FW400 414FW301 48MF201 321MF300 312MF101 217FW200 27MF100 111MF100 118MF100 125MF100 1
Assists No.FlagPosNameChampionshipLeague CupFA CupTotal10FW422 84DF511 77MF500 519FW400 412MF111 35DF200 214FW200 218MF200 22DF100 13DF100 18MF001 19MF100 116MF100 117FW100 121MF100 124FW100 125MF100 1
Yellow cards
No.FlagPosNameChampionshipLeague CupFA CupTotal6MF912 124DF810 97MF702 96DF800 819FW800 82DF610 716MF600 621MF400 410FW301 41GK301 48MF400 45DF301 414FW300 324FW300 39FW200 218MF200 23DF110 220DF200 217FW100 121DF100 1
Red cards
No.FlagPosNameChampionshipLeague CupFA CupTotal2DF100 14DF100 1
Captains
No.Pos.NameStarts6DF Scott Dann3419FW Clinton Morrison163DF Marcus Hall3
Penalties Awarded
DateSuccess?Penalty TakerOpponentCompetition2008-08-09 Elliott WardNorwich CityChampionship2008-09-17 Elliott WardSheffield UnitedChampionship2008-09-20 Elliott WardQueens Park RangersChampionship2008-10-04 Elliott WardSouthamptonChampionship2008-10-21 Elliott WardBurnleyChampionship2008-04-21 Elliott WardBarnsleyChampionship
Suspensions served
DateMatches MissedSuspended PlayerReasonMissed Opponents2008-11-221 Aron GunnarssonReached 5 Yellow CardsSheffield Wednesday (A)2008-12-061 Daniel FoxReached 5 Yellow CardsNottingham Forest (H)2009-01-173 Stephen WrightSent Off vs. Queens Park RangersBlackpool (H), Torquay United (A), Cardiff City (H)2009-01-312 Aron GunnarssonReached 10 Yellow CardsDerby County (A), Wolverhampton Wanderers (H)2009-02-141 Stephen WrightReached 5 Yellow CardsBlackburn Rovers (A)2009-02-231 Scott DannReached 5 Yellow CardsBlackburn Rovers (H)2009-05-031 Daniel FoxSent Off vs. WatfordIpswich Town (A)
Monthly & Weekly Awards
Championship Team of the Week 11-08-2008 Keiren WestwoodChampionship Team of the Week 23-09-2008 Elliott WardChampionship Team of the Week 23-09-2008 Daniel FoxChampionship Team of the Week 06-10-2008 Daniel FoxChampionship Team of the Week 24-11-2008 Keiren WestwoodChampionship Team of the Week 24-11-2008 Daniel FoxChampionship Team of the Week 02-02-2009 Michael DoyleChampionship Team of the Week 23-02-2009 Scott DannChampionship Manager of the Month February Chris ColemanChampionship Team of the Week 06-04-2009 Ben TurnerPFA Championship Team Of The Year 2008/2009 Keiren WestwoodPFA Championship Team Of The Year 2008/2009 Daniel Fox
End of Season Awards
Player of The Season Award Aron GunnarssonYoung Player of The Season Award Ben TurnerPlayers' Player of The Season Award Daniel FoxTop Scorer Award Clinton MorrisonGoal of The Season Award David BellCommunity Player of The Season Award Aron Gunnarsson
Overall