Sky Blue Fall by Richard Chamberlain – Review
By Karl Hornsey
The life of a football fan is seldom dull. While the odd club might stay in the same division or under the same owners for decades, they are few and far between, especially in the modern cutthroat industry that the sport has become. For supporters of Coventry City, a rollercoaster ride doesn’t begin to cover their fortunes over the last 20 years or so, some of which are documented in this release from Sky Blues fan Richard Chamberlain.
Sky Blue Fall’s tagline tells you what you’re in for – Inside Coventry City’s Fall from Grace. From Premier League to near extinction in just a few short years, documented in great detail here by Chamberlin, whose love of the club shines through, even during the darkest of times. And, readers, the happy ending – not in this book, of course – is that Coventry City have just recently been promoted back to the top flight and retaken their place among the big boys. All of which must have seemed like a pipe dream back in 2008, when this chapter of the story ends.
“Brink of extinction”
This is very much a no-frills book, with a simple and direct approach, starting in 2001 and the season following the club’s relegation from the Premier League, which began Coventry’s demise and years in the wilderness. Chamberlain takes us through each subsequent season in turn, from a fan’s point of view, chronicling the hopes of dreams of all at the club, and beautifully encapsulating the range of emotions involved, from hope to despair and everywhere in between. Where the book works best is with the quality of ‘talking heads’ who Chamberlain has managed to get to contribute their thoughts and memories. The views of players such as Richard Shaw are particularly interesting to hear about, and getting the ‘horse’s mouth’ take from former managers Eric Black and Iain Dowie works particularly well, especially as they can give the inside track on a tumultuous time.
As if the inability to return to the Premier League wasn’t vexing enough for Cov fans, there was also the emotional upheaval of leaving Highfield Road, their home of 106 years, though little did even the most pessimistic supporter imagine what was to follow further down the line, as the Sky Blues ended up effectively homeless. And, most disturbingly of all, was the change of ownership that saw the club eventually move to the brink of extinction. While that isn’t covered here, and it’s a shame that the timespan covered isn’t longer, the seeds are very much sown in the seasons featured, and it’s illuminating to see how the club gradually slipped further and further away from former glories. This is an essential read for any Coventry City supporter, but also for any football fan who has been through dark days with their club, especially as there can always be light at the end of the tunnel, as proven in recent weeks.
‘Sky Blue Fall’ by Richard Chamberlain is published by Pitch Publishing
Karl’s love of writing was piqued at the age of eight, when he won a Blue Peter badge in an essay-writing competition. The location of said badge might be a mystery now, but the memory never fades. Hours spent writing about sport as a teenager, in pre-internet years when you had to make your entertainment, honed his skills, and Karl has worked in TV and radio listings at PA Media for 28 years, and the age of hybrid working means 50% of that can be at home listening to Classic FM and thinking about his next visit to his beloved Yorkshire Dales.
hornskar
