Dion visits Coventry (12 Viewers)

[covcity4life]

People should also consider the impact when slaughtering one of our own too when they moan at players for leaving. I know Shippers wants to spend his entire career with us if possible unless the unlikely event Liverpool come in for him, but I also know how hurt and upset he was when Facebook put a poll up last season of if he was the worst ever to play for us and it received approx 400 likes. Completely and rightly distraught as a young lad giving his all and no matter how many times you say it's just trolls who rarely if ever go to games, it's only human to feel some anger back.

How do you know this out of curiousity?

 

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[Ring Of Steel]

Actually I’d say Dublin was the best header of a ball I ever saw.. speedie best ‘pound for pound’ as he was about 5 ft 7 and he’d outjump huge central halves, but if Dion decides he was going to win a header his opposite number was usually powerless to stop him.

 

[Londonccfcfan]

Actually I’d say Dublin was the best header of a ball I ever saw.. speedie best ‘pound for pound’ as he was about 5 ft 7 and he’d outjump huge central halves, but if Dion decides he was going to win a header his opposite number was usually powerless to stop him.

True not many strikers I seen score from outside the box with a header (against forest)...Not to mention seen many terrorise desailly and lebouf.

 

[Adge]

I may be wrong on this but was Richardson trying to move him out of the club?

Yep-to Blackburn at the time with Jack Walkers millions.There was a bit of a dodgy deal involving Richardson when Dublin was about to sign for them which Dublin found out about. Doug Ellis rang Dublin and asked if he was still available (while in Blackburn with Dalgleish) and he spoke to Villa on the way back down.
Richardson was not “involved” in the Villa deal and for less money (wages) he went to Villa which as somebody has correctly said he didn’t need then to uproot his family as he lived in Stratford.
People seem to forget that Dublin could have left in the summer before he did but signed a new contract which in turn got us the 6m odd.
He also didn’t refuse to play against Luton. The club (Blackburn/Villa) didn’t want him cup tied as part of the sale.

 

[SlowerThanPlatt]

Yep-to Blackburn at the time with Jack Walkers millions.There was a bit of a dodgy deal involving Richardson when Dublin was about to sign for them which Dublin found out about. Doug Ellis rang Dublin and asked if he was still available (while in Blackburn with Dalgleish) and he spoke to Villa on the way back down.
Richardson was not “involved” in the Villa deal and for less money (wages) he went to Villa which as somebody has correctly said he didn’t need then to uproot his family as he lived in Stratford.
People seem to forget that Dublin could have left in the summer before he did but signed a new contract which in turn got us the 6m odd.
He also didn’t refuse to play against Luton. The club (Blackburn/Villa) didn’t want him cup tied as part of the sale.

But he was still a contracted CCFC player wasn’t he and from what I understand from your post he refused to play so he could push through the move/appease the club who wanted to sign him?

 

[Adge]

But he was still a contracted CCFC player wasn’t he and from what I understand from your post he refused to play so he could push through the move/appease the club who wanted to sign him?

No, not really. The buying club didn’t want him cup tied. Standard really sometimes as part of a deal.

 

[SlowerThanPlatt]

No, not really. The buying club didn’t want him cup tied. Standard really sometimes as part of a deal.

He was contracted to Coventry City at the time and was asked to play a game?

The buying club didn’t own him or were paying his wages

 

[Adge]

He was contracted to Coventry City at the time and was asked to play a game?

The buying club didn’t own him or were paying his wages

He was certainly contracted to Coventry City at the time obviously. There is a difference between “refusing to play” and a clause in a deal as part of a sale to another club.
But of course the rumour which was believed was that he refused to play.

 

[SlowerThanPlatt]

He was certainly contracted to Coventry City at the time obviously. There is a difference between “refusing to play” and a clause in a deal as part of a sale to another club.
But of course the rumour which was believed was that he refused to play.

If McCallum didn’t make himself available for selection in the FA Cup game against Blues because Norwich didn’t want him cup tied ahead of his proposed transfer and it would scupper it, what would you think as the fans and club who pay his wages?

I don’t have any strong opinion on it I was only young then but it seems like he didn’t want to play for the club he was contracted to appease another club which is refusing to play

 

[Adge]

That’s your opinion. I know of it differently.

 

[SlowerThanPlatt]

That’s your opinion. I know of it differently.

What? He was contracted to CCFC and didn’t want to play so it didn’t scupper the deal to Blackburn, that’s what you’ve said?

 

[Ring Of Steel]

What? He was contracted to CCFC and didn’t want to play so it didn’t scupper the deal to Blackburn, that’s what you’ve said?

No you’ve got it wrong, Bryan Richardson wouldn’t let Strachan play Dublin in that game. Richardson went nuts as he was losing money by selling to Villa, think Blackburn offered £6.5m but Villa offered his release clause amount of £5.75m and that’s where he went. The controversy was over who leaked that clause to Villa, we’ll never know that though.

 

[Adge]

What? He was contracted to CCFC and didn’t want to play so it didn’t scupper the deal to Blackburn, that’s what you’ve said?

Who said he didn’t want to play?

 

[BornSlippySkyBlue]

Yep-to Blackburn at the time with Jack Walkers millions.There was a bit of a dodgy deal involving Richardson when Dublin was about to sign for them which Dublin found out about. Doug Ellis rang Dublin and asked if he was still available (while in Blackburn with Dalgleish) and he spoke to Villa on the way back down.
Richardson was not “involved” in the Villa deal and for less money (wages) he went to Villa which as somebody has correctly said he didn’t need then to uproot his family as he lived in Stratford.
People seem to forget that Dublin could have left in the summer before he did but signed a new contract which in turn got us the 6m odd.
He also didn’t refuse to play against Luton. The club (Blackburn/Villa) didn’t want him cup tied as part of the sale.

I thought there was a Blackburn connection but couldn’t quite remember. You might be correct about being cup tied, but I would genuinely say that everyone at Luton believed the same thing and hated him! At the time. Like I say, hero now.

 

[Skybluemichael]

it explains it here

 

[fernandopartridge]

Kindly put a name forward who was better than Dion as a center back during his 4 years with us.
I am struggling olderskyblue, I can make a case for Babb just before him and Trevor Peake earlier and Jeff Blockley but other than those who compares to Dion as a center back?

Breen is the obvious one

 

[fernandopartridge]

Anyone that went to Luton that night he refused to play had good reason to be peed off! That has to rate as one of the worst away games I’ve ever been to.

And yes, I hated him at the time, but have zero animosity towards him now. Was a great player for us and a nice bloke.

Villa tho...

Villa were top of the table and flying when he went there, remember before the game was completely orientated around qualifying for the Champions League, they were a respectable top 6 team and a great move for him.

 

[Joy Division]

Only just watched this, anybody else notice Dele Adebola looking awkward walking into the shot near the start?

 

[BornSlippySkyBlue]

Villa were top of the table and flying when he went there, remember before the game was completely orientated around qualifying for the Champions League, they were a respectable top 6 team and a great move for him.

It was. Still hurt. At the time...

 

[Razzle Dazzle Dean Gordon]

Does anyone remember his last goal for us? I think it was against Southampton and for whatever reason i have had it in my head that it was a 'long range' header...i can't find any evidence to back any of that up though. Confirmation that im either correct or totally making shit up would be great.

 

[BornSlippySkyBlue]

Does anyone remember his last goal for us? I think it was against Southampton and for whatever reason i have had it in my head that it was a 'long range' header...i can't find any evidence to back any of that up though. Confirmation that im either correct or totally making shit up would be great.

Don’t remember it, but was it this game:

Southampton - Coventry City - 1998-10-24

He scored, not sure if it was a header.

 

[Speedies_Chips]

Does anyone remember his last goal for us? I think it was against Southampton and for whatever reason i have had it in my head that it was a 'long range' header...i can't find any evidence to back any of that up though. Confirmation that im either correct or totally making shit up would be great.

Yes he did. I think Grobelaar was in goal. It was later suggested that that game was one of those relating to some of Grobelaars gambling shenanigens.

 

[Razzle Dazzle Dean Gordon]

Yes he did. I think Grobelaar was in goal. It was later suggested that that game was one of those relating to some of Grobelaars gambling shenanigens.

As in yes he scored a header from way out? Bruce must have paid to have all the footage destroyed the tricksy bastard. The records say Paul Jones was in goal so that conspiracy must go pretty deep!

 

[MusicDating]

Actually I’d say Dublin was the best header of a ball I ever saw.. speedie best ‘pound for pound’ as he was about 5 ft 7 and he’d outjump huge central halves, but if Dion decides he was going to win a header his opposite number was usually powerless to stop him.

His headed equaliser away at the Baggies in the cup replay was superb. Miles out and from nothing.
Was stood in the terrace in the corner (think we were the last ever fans to stand at the Hawthorns) and felt like we'd just stopped celebrating Dion's goal when Nuddy scored goal of the month.

 

[Speedies_Chips]

As in yes he scored a header from way out? Bruce must have paid to have all the footage destroyed the tricksy bastard. The records say Paul Jones was in goal so that conspiracy must go pretty deep!

The game I remember was at Highfield Road and the goal was very early. The game in the link above was at Southampton.

 

[Razzle Dazzle Dean Gordon]

The game I remember was at Highfield Road and the goal was very early. The game in the link above was at Southampton.

Ok, for some reason i have it in mind that his last goal was a header from the edge of the box or thereabouts, maybe i'm mixing two memories together.

 

[Speedies_Chips]

Ok, for some reason i have it in mind that his last goal was a header from the edge of the box or thereabouts, maybe i'm mixing two memories together.

No, I think I am the one getting muddled. I cant find any record of it either. Must have been a different opponent in my fading memory!

 

[Speedies_Chips]

Hang on, there's a reference to Grobelaar's dodginess against us in here, but it was an away game, and I didnt go to that one, so god knows what I saw!

The big gamble that so nearly paid off

 

[Speedies_Chips]

I think I was right after all

Coventry City v Southampton, 24 September 1994

 

[skybluesam66]

I think I was right after all

Coventry City v Southampton, 24 September 1994

That is a shocking line up for a premier league team
Take out Oggy and Dion and there is not much there!

 

[BornSlippySkyBlue]

His headed equaliser away at the Baggies in the cup replay was superb. Miles out and from nothing.
Was stood in the terrace in the corner (think we were the last ever fans to stand at the Hawthorns) and felt like we'd just stopped celebrating Dion's goal when Nuddy scored goal of the month.

Remember that, he rose like a salmon.

 

[mark82]

That is a shocking line up for a premier league team
Take out Oggy and Dion and there is not much there!

Our former head of recruitment, Tommy Widdrington, was on the bench for Southampton that game.

 

[Somerset Sky Blue]

I may be wrong on this but was Richardson trying to move him out of the club?

Sounds familiar to me too...can't remember where I read it either. But, as I recall, city decided to cash in on Dion and that was it.

 

[fernandopartridge]

Does anyone remember his last goal for us? I think it was against Southampton and for whatever reason i have had it in my head that it was a 'long range' header...i can't find any evidence to back any of that up though. Confirmation that im either correct or totally making shit up would be great.

Yes it was, sure it was from the 18 yard box ish

 

[Razzle Dazzle Dean Gordon]

Yes it was, sure it was from the 18 yard box ish

Thank you! I did think it would be an odd thing to imagine but you never know...