Old boy Jonson set to tackle Sky Blues
FORMER FRONTMAN HAS MADE THE SWITCH FROM BRISTOL TO PETERBOROUGH
COVENTRY City are set for a reunion with striker Jonson Clarke-harris today (Saturday).
The former Sky Blues front man completed a £1.25million move from Bristol Rovers to Peterborough United on Thursday.
Coventry take on Peterborough in their final pre-season friendly date this weekend – and Posh boss Darren Ferguson has confirmed his new signing will be involved in one of the two matches due to be played.
“Jonson was our number one target and I am delighted that the deal is done and am looking forward to working with him,” said Ferguson.
“His goal-scoring record in the last two seasons with Bristol Rovers has been very, very good.
“He gives us the physicality that we may lose with Ivan (Toney). The other strikers aside from Ivan, are all very talented in what they do, but they don’t have that physicality and in certain games when it is not going as well as you would like with the ball, you need someone to get hold of the ball and get you up the pitch.
“Jonson can do that and more. He has matured as a player. I managed him when he was a kid, he has developed and has done well at this level and he is ready for this step-up to a team that is trying to get into the Championship.
“I am absolutely delighted that the co-owners have allowed me to bring him in, he is going to be a big signing for this football club. He is very good at set-pieces, in terms of free-kicks and penalties so that is something we will look at, he has a very good left-foot, there are areas we need to develop with his game, but he is ready for the challenge and is looking forward to it. We must make sure we don’t put too much pressure on the boy, I want him to play as he has been with a bit of development to his game because we have bought him for a reason.
“He has good experience of League One, he is a Leicester lad, so his family is not far from here, which is also important, and I am sure he will settle in quickly.
“He is not too far behind fitness wise so will play on Saturday and, to be honest, it was good to get him in at this time before the season gets under way.”
Clarke-harris added: “I played against Peterborough last season and the team is pretty much the same apart from a couple of new faces and I’m confident I will mould straight into it.
“The manager has told me to just play like I did for Bristol Rovers and to work hard. Everyone knows what I can do now and I thank Rovers for giving me that platform.
“I’ve been around a lot of clubs, but I’ve learnt what type of player I am. The deal took time to get done, but I’m very happy to be here.”