To say that JH chickened out of the biggest challenge is unfair. He wanted a ten year contract, Derrick Robins would not agree to this. However, if you read Hill’s autobiography he says he was disappointed that the club never came back to him with a compromise offer, an offer he probably would have accepted. He did actually manage the team for the first couple of months in the first division before Cantwell was appointed so he never ran away from the challenge.To achieve what Robins' has with the resouces at his disposal in the competitive environment of today has been near miraculous. In many ways Hill had it so much easier, Coventry was a boom town and the financial factor was much less dominating. He also chickened out of the biggest challenge.
Oh and much as I enjoyed much of the Milne era we never got very far and again the financial challenges were so considerably less. I know Grendel disagrees, but I was there.
The best Coventry side I saw was Cantwell year 3. An unpopular view.
Also interesting to note that from Hill’s appointment in 1961 to Milne’s departure in 1981, we had only 3 managers. In the last 20 year period we have had 15 permanent managers (counting Robins twice). Different times I know but I think that there is a lot to be said for giving a manager time to carry out the task given to them ( unless the manager is Russell Slade). Food for thought for those, who, despite Robin’s great achievements over the past three years, begin angling for his removal at the first rocky patch this season (‘I’m not saying he should be removed but Kenny Jackett would be a good replacement’. Last season it was Gareth Ainsworth).
Milne for example was given 7 or 8 years in the job. This despite a few relegation battles and with chants of “Milne Out” ringing around Highfield Road on more than one occasion. Credit to the board at the time (which included JH) for giving him a chance. I would still say the decision to move him upstairs and replace him with Dave Sexton was wrong.
My memory might be playing old age tricks, but IMO some of the best football we have played was in that season. Cantwell took us into Europe winning 10 away games. We avoided relegation the previous season, seeing Leicester go down in the process.To achieve what Robins' has with the resouces at his disposal in the competitive environment of today has been near miraculous. In many ways Hill had it so much easier, Coventry was a boom town and the financial factor was much less dominating. He also chickened out of the biggest challenge.
Oh and much as I enjoyed much of the Milne era we never got very far and again the financial challenges were so considerably less. I know Grendel disagrees, but I was there.
The best Coventry side I saw was Cantwell year 3. An unpopular view.
you of little memory - Big Ron was given the crown jewels, and he spunked them up the wallRobins has one massive advantage which a lot of others didn’t - unequivocal backing by his clubs management - I doubt since Hill was manager that has actually happened much.
you of little memory - Big Ron was given the crown jewels, and he spunked them up the wall
Gibbo would have been a great player but was always injured later in his career with us (or down the pub, him and Ernie Hannigan)I was a huge Hill fan (let's face it, he signed Ian Gibson...), and was devastated when he left.
I then became a Cantwell fan, although it took a year or two.
Sillett was a hero too.
But Robbins? What he's done with a couple of bob found down the back of the settee, and one hand tied behind his back, is nowt short of a miracle.
Legend in the making.
Robins has one massive advantage which a lot of others didn’t - unequivocal backing by his clubs management - I doubt since Hill was manager that has actually happened much.
I was a huge Hill fan (let's face it, he signed Ian Gibson...), and was devastated when he left.
I then became a Cantwell fan, although it took a year or two.
Sillett was a hero too.
But Robbins? What he's done with a couple of bob found down the back of the settee, and one hand tied behind his back, is nowt short of a miracle.
Legend in the making.
Spell the legends surname properly then...it's not difficult
I'm in the process of collecting old bronze tat if anyone would like to contribute please let me know . By the time I have enough ( should be a couple of seasons) we should have enough, it's just where to put it ?
Yeah, my bad. Extra character accidentally added with fat fingers on phone.Spell the legends surname properly then...it's not difficult
He has done a remarkable job if he manages to keep us up this season that will be the greatest achievement of them all
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I’ll just leave this here:
View attachment 17396
If he took us into the Prem he would qualify for best ever status but it would otherwise be harsh on the managers whose main aim was to keep us in the top flight.
He has taken us from the bottom of the football tier to the championship with little to no money having to sell our best assets along the way and with the backdrop of not playing in Coventry that's a fairly good achievementMore than successive managers preserving 35 years of top flight football with zero budget?
Indeed
We are a bit of an odd club with I think only 3 relegations in nearly 70 years and all in the last 20 years
We also had one manager who went for an interview for the England job and another who seemingly was offered the job but turned it down as he’d agreed to be our manager....
They had different objectives and obstacles which makes comparisons subjective in the extreme. But in response to the thread title, the table I posted demonstrates that regardless of whether keeping us in 1985 div 1 was a greater achievement than winning the checkatrade trophy, Robins is undoubtedly “One of Coventry’s greatest ever managers”. There haven’t been that many really, and only 2 that have ever won 2 promotions. Therefore “One of” the greatest managers. If he does it again even you’d have to admit it.You can but all managers from 1967 to 2000 could not get promoted or go to Wembley in those competitions
Not sure the zero budget point is true or not for all of those years anyway, the club in the 70s seemed to be relatively well off. Only after Hill's reign as chair did it become skint coinciding with a big drop off in crowds etc. The post 95 spending was greater than many of our peer clubs, our record transfer fee of £6.5m for Bellamy wasn't beaten by Leicester until 2014.More than successive managers preserving 35 years of top flight football with zero budget?
Not sure the zero budget point is true or not for all of those years anyway, the club in the 70s seemed to be relatively well off. Only after Hill's reign as chair did it become skint coinciding with a big drop off in crowds etc. The post 95 spending was greater than many of our peer clubs, our record transfer fee of £6.5m for Bellamy wasn't beaten by Leicester until 2014.
Hill lost the club a fortune with his failed Us experiment and then the all seater debacle. We were always having to trade players to keep going. We made a big signing - Lloyd I think - on the basis we were selling Holmes to Spurs - that collapsed and we were always then struggling financially. The Collier signing and subsequent departure always struck me as odd
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