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FORMER Coventry City winger Steve Froggatt has revealed his disappointment at not being able to say goodbye to the club's supporters.
The 37-year-old's playing career was tragically cut short following a horror tackle by Sunderland winger Nicky Summerbee while playing for the Sky Blues against Sunderland back in February 2000.
Despite being on the verge of Kevin Keegan's England squad, Froggatt told The Observer he has no regrets about not playing for his country, but was "gutted" he never had a chance to say goodbye to City's fans.
"I don't look back with regret," Froggatt said. "It was a privilege to play for all three clubs I played for and to get called up to play for England whilst playing for Coventry was a fantastic achievement.
"I will always remember the Coventry fans being very supportive when I got my England call-up. The club has brilliant supporters who always looked after their own and I am gutted I never got to say a proper goodbye to them.
"It was a sad moment when I found out I could never play again, but it was even sadder having to watch the side get relegated from the Premier League.
"It's strange in a way because when my career ended, Coventry's top flight status ended too and that was difficult if not harder to take in," he added.
This summer marks ten years since the Sky Blues were relegated from the top flight of English football and the club have struggled to even come close to promotion during their stint in the second tier.
Froggatt played in what many fans would consider one of City's best sides in recent years during the 1999/2000 season, but he hopes the current squad can make a return to the Premier League sooner rather than later.
"When (Robbie) Keane signed for us I knew he has something special," he said. "He was a fantastic player who like all the players in that side had a fantastic relationship with the fans. I will never forget the team spirit we had in the dressing room that year, it was something very special.
"There have been so many great Coventry teams down the years and the problem is that the current squad of players will always be compared to those great sides.
"Aidy Boothroyd plays a direct style of football," Froggatt added. "When you are winning it is great but when you aren't it doesn't look so good, but he has got some very good players and it's nice to see Gary McSheffrey back in a Coventry shirt.
"I was in the side when he made his Premier League debut as a 16-year-old. He is Coventry through and through and so far he seems to be doing well for the club.
"It's a wonderful football club and I wish them all the best and hope they get promoted back to the top flight."
