The Phoenix Leo Ostigard - I cried when I left Coventry

[When The Sky Was Blue]

Hi all,

I posted this interview with Leo Ostigard on The Phoenix on Monday and it's had an incredible reaction, so thought I'd share it over here as well.

I loved speaking to Leo. He was every bit as animated as you'd expect, a real character. The full interview is here: Leo Ostigard: I cried a lot when I left Coventry but for those of you who can't be bothered to click/hate anything behind a paywall/prefer to stay within the warm embrace of SBT, some highlights:

I was surprised at how open he was about being upset at leaving the club. He mentions wanting to come back and his loan move to Stoke being a Brighton decision rather than anything down to him.

The image of the squad singing Sweet Caroline in the dressing room after a draw at Carrow Road is superb.

He talks about his part in Vik coming in on loan and Robins asking him to have a word with him to help bring him in. What a call that turned out to be.

All in all, a lovely bloke and someone who clearly loved his time here. I mean, he gave up 30 minutes of his day to speak to me despite him currently having a new born baby and being at the start of a new season in Serie A. I doubt there would be many Premier League defenders who would do the same.

Thanks all!

 

[edgy]

#ostigardkickingthings

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Leapt like a salmon at Rotherham to score a crucial goal.

 

[rob9872]

Pity Jason Arday isn't around any longer, he could have copied it on here and we'd have read it for free.

 

[MTK]

I really enjoyed reading this article. It's great to hear from former players reflecting about their time with the club like this. Some really interesting insights. More of the same would be great

 

[Skybluecov1]

He scored one of the most crucial goal in the modern era. That header against Rotherham I think kept us up that season!

 

[When The Sky Was Blue]

I really enjoyed reading this article. It's great to hear from former players reflecting about their time with the club like this. Some really interesting insights. More of the same would be great

Thank you! The plan for the site is to have one big interview like this every week alongside the analysis of current events. I'm constantly contacting former players for interviews. Interviews have already been done with these guys below, with these coming to the site over the next weeks.

Micky Quinn, Marko Marosi, Aled Williams, Rhys Carr, Keith Houchen, Micky Gynn, Frank Moussa, Jack Grimmer, Dennis Lawrence, Robert Rosario, Trond Soltvedt, Darren Huckerby and several others that have slipped my mind. I also have loads of interviews that I have done for my books that I'll be revisiting.

 

[MTK]

Robert Rosario will be interesting. I have such fond memories of that time. Hope Darren reflects on THAT goal against United. Until Bobby's header at Blackburn that had been my all time favourite goal

 

[play_in_skyblue_stripes]

We have a lot to thank Leo for!!! Without Viktor we would never be back in Premier league.

Hopefully he joins us again one day or we have a game against him.

Always remember listening to that Rotherham game. It was so tense and thanks to Leo for getting that goal.

Hope you join the Legends club even if you were only a loan player Leo.

 

[Nick]

He gave Haaland a city shirt.

He should have at least had that on under his Man City top when he scored against us.

 

[Sky Blue Wozza]

Best bit about that Ostigard goal was him shithousing their bench after

 

[fernandopartridge]

He scored one of the most crucial goal in the modern era. That header against Rotherham I think kept us up that season!

Not really, it was a big game at the time but we won 2-3 games at least after that to survive comfortably in the end

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Not really, it was a big game at the time but we won 2-3 games at least after that to survive comfortably in the end

It was a classic 6 pointer of a game against a direct rival to be fair.

 

[Skybluefaz]

It was a classic 6 pointer of a game against a direct rival to be fair.

Tend to agree. Maybe mathematically it wasn't the deal-breaker, but it just felt like the game that made all the difference.

A bit like the win at Swansea last season.

 

[marrrkjay_ccfc]

Whilst his goal against Rotherham will be what most Cov fans remember of him, I remember him more for his great battle with Troy Deeney against Watford at St Andrews. What an old fashioned Centre Half vs Centre Forward battle that was that's gone from the modern game.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Whilst his goal against Rotherham will be what most Cov fans remember of him, I remember him more for his great battle with Troy Deeney against Watford at St Andrews. What an old fashioned Centre Half vs Centre Forward battle that was that's gone from the modern game.

Good shout, also see Vik against Dael Fry in the playoffs.

 

[Marty]

It seemed like Rotherham were playing every other day of the week at the time. That was probably the biggest deciding factor.

 

[Winny the Bish]

I loved Ostigard so much. Was desperate for him to stay permanently after his loan.

 

[Evo1883]

It was a classic 6 pointer of a game against a direct rival to be fair.

I was the most nervous id been in years watching a game

 

[rob9872]

I loved Ostigard so much. Was desperate for him to stay permanently after his loan.

I was the same with him, Doyle, McNally, Sterling, Maatsen and Binks. We only signed Binks from that list and wish we'd not bothered.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

I was the most nervous id been in years watching a game

That result was a massive weight lifted off the team in the following games.

 

[MacReady]

I normally cry when I have to visit Coventry. Different strokes.

 

[Winny the Bish]

I was the same with him, Doyle, McNally, Sterling, Maatsen and Binks. We only signed Binks from that list and wish we'd not bothered.

Jokes how out of everyone on that list, most Cov fans would've picked McNally as the best player and his career has stalled the most of everyone mentioned. Hasn't played since February 2025 thanks to an injury.

Seem to remember a vocal minority on here that didn't rate Maatsen or Osti which was baffling.

 

[rob9872]

Jokes how out of everyone on that list, most Cov fans would've picked McNally as the best player and his career has stalled the most of everyone mentioned. Hasn't played since February 2025 thanks to an injury.

Seem to remember a vocal minority on here that didn't rate Maatsen or Osti which was baffling.

Certainly is baffling although in fairness if I could only have one, I'd have probably gone for Doyle who has proved to be nothing special so far. I genuinely believed he'd make it with Man City.

 

[Skybluecov1]

Not really, it was a big game at the time but we won 2-3 games at least after that to survive comfortably in the end

If we didn't win that game, do you reckon we would have gone on the run, we had?

 

[SkyBlue_Bear83]

Just checked if we'd have lost that day we would have went into the relegation places with 5 left to play, Rotherham would have been 4th from bottom with 2 games in hand on us.

Was definitely a defining match of the season, and took a lot of pressure off allowing us to go on our mini run at the end of the season.

 

[Shannerz]

Jokes how out of everyone on that list, most Cov fans would've picked McNally as the best player and his career has stalled the most of everyone mentioned. Hasn't played since February 2025 thanks to an injury.

Which is appalling bad luck and no statement on his ability.

I hoped we'd sign JCS*, too. His career genuinely has stalled.

*I had to google his actual name.