I love seeing the Sky Blues do well... but I want to beat' em
WEMBLEY HERO STEVENSON LOOKING TO RUIN CITY’S FA CUP HOPES AT FIRST HURDLE
WHEN Ben Stevenson takes to the field against his boyhood club Coventry City today he’ll be doing his utmost to help League Two Colchester United pull of another cup upset this season.
The 22-year-old has been part of a buoyant U’s side that has already seen off Premier League Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur in the EFL Carabao Cup to book a glamorous quarter-final tie at Old Trafford next month, against the team he supported growing up.
And while he’s looking forward to his big day out against Manchester United, it’s the Sky Blues who provided him with the highlight of his life so far in the 2017 Checkatrade Trophy final at Wembley Stadium.
“It was definitely the best day of my football career so far, if not generally just one of the best days of my life just because playing at Wembley is what every kid dreams of,” said the midfielder, who was sold to Wolves in January 2018 and immediately loaned out to League Two Colchester whom he joined on a permanent deal a year later.
“It’s one of the best stadiums in the world and there was something like 75,000 fans there and to have come up through the Academy and win is a dream come true.”
He added: “I made 48 appearances for Coventry and have very fond memories of my time at the club – 13 years in all.
“I got picked up at a tournament in Nuneaton while playing for my Sunday league team with George Thomas and they took both of us.
“I had been training with Leicester at the time but I had one session with Coventry and they approached us afterwards and we both looked at each other and thought how much we were enjoying it so decided to give it a go.”
It turned out to be a good decision as the pair enjoyed a successful Academy journey playing in the same age group as James Maddison, Cian Harries and Kelly-Evans twins Devon and
Dion, to name just a few, before breaking into the first team.
Sadly for Stevenson, his emergence in the senior side coincided with one of the bleakest league season’s in the club’s modern era as City dropped down to the fourth tier of English football.
“It was a season of ups and downs for me on a personal level,” said Stevenson. “Obviously it was my breakthrough season so parts of it were really enjoyable. I scored my first senior goals that season and had a long run in the team, and then the Checkatrade Trophy Final.
“I think it was only a week after that when we were relegated.
“But it’s been nice seeing them recover from that and I watched
them when they got promoted from League Two. I think I gave the loudest cheer in the room when Shippers put the second goal in!
“I always want them to do well and obviously it’s going to be a weird one with them coming down to Colchester on Saturday.”
Asked what style of football City can expect from John McGreal’s men, he said: “We definitely try to pass the ball but in League Two it’s just a case of trying to win games.
“We have won the last three, one being the EFL Cup game against Crawley and we want to keep that up.
“Last season we missed out on the play-offs by a point so hopefully we can go one better this season.
“I’m enjoying my football and hopefully I can get back up the ladder.”
So what’s he expecting from Coventry?
“They look like a good team who pass it around so I am sure it will be a tough game,” said the player, who’s hoping for a warm reception from the travelling Sky Blue Army.
“The supporters really helped me and got behind me when I first broke through and hopefully there’s a mutual respect there with them.
“Everyone knows Coventry is a big club with a big fanbase so it should be a good atmosphere,”
It was definitely the best day of my football career so far, because playing at Wembley is what every kid dreams of.
Ben Stevenson
MARK Robins admits he will be forced to change the way his Coventry City side set up when they head to Colchester United in the FA Cup today.
The Sky Blues boss is in the throes of a mini striker crisis with Amadou Bakayoko the only full fit senior frontman in the squad as they face the League Two cup specialists, who have already knocked out Premier League
Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur to reach the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.
Matty Godden remains out with a detached ligament in his groin area and Max Biamou is starting the first of a three-match ban this weekend for his sending-off against Accrington last Saturday.
Jordy Hiwula has been out for almost three weeks with an ankle injury and was due to have a late fitness test before the team travelled on Friday morning – the squad heading down to Arsenal’s Academy to train before a rare overnight stay in a hotel.
Development squad striker David Bemang could come into the Sky Blues squad but the fact that he wasn’t used in the midweek EFL Trophy match suggests that’s probably unlikely.
Robins has been playing with two strikers and three at the back in recent weeks but may revert to 4-3-3, regardless of whether Hiwula is fit, with Bakayoko as the lone striker.
“I have limited options,” admitted the manager, “but I think decent options. We may change slightly; we have certainly got to change because of the injuries and suspensions but that’s the challenge and we have got to try to find a way of playing our stuff but being competitive and trying to get chances to win the game.”
Robins experimented with Gervane Kastaneer playing in a more central striking role in the midweek EFL Trophy fixture at home to Southampton