Snoz : A true Sky Blue legend
AFFECTIONATELY known as ‘Snoz,’ John Sillett will be universally remembered as the man who masterminded Coventry City’s 1987 FA Cup win. Few of his tributes will mention his role as a key player in the club’s meteoric rise up the Football League in the 1960s or his magnificent achievement in managing the Sky Blues to three consecutive top-half finishes in the top flight of English football.
John was born in Southampton on July 20 1936 but grew up in the New Forest village of Nomansland - his parents Charlie and Anne Sillett ran the Lamb pub. Charlie had a good football career with Southampton, making 183 appearances between 1933-38, but having become a Royal Navy gunner in the war, lost his life in 1945.
John and his elder brother Peter inherited their father’s football talents and were both on Southampton’s books as teenagers before joining Chelsea for £12,000. Peter, three years John’s senior, went on to win three England caps at right-back and played in the Chelsea championship side of 1955.
John, originally a centre-forward converted into full-back, got his first team chance with Chelsea on New Year’s Day 1957 against the Busby Babes at Old Trafford.
It was Blues pal Jimmy Greaves, who coined the nickname ‘Snoz’ on account of his over-sized nose.
After 102 games for the Blues John moved to Coventry in 1962, becoming one of Jimmy Hill’s first signings along with Willie Humphries. He made his debut in a 2-0 home defeat to Hull City, and Nemo in the Coventry Telegraph wrote: “Sillett’s unhurried defending, plus his calm positional play, stamp him as a fullback of much more than average use next season.”
In 1962-63 the Sky Blue Revolution started and John was the regular right-back, playing 49 league and cup games. Whilst never a spectacular player he was a solid defender and a steadying influence in the Coventry defence as well as a big character in the dressing room.
Promotion was achieved in 196364 and John missed only five games.
In Division Two a slipped disc in his back affected him and restricted his appearances and after playing 128 times, scoring two goals, John was transferred to fellow Second Division club Plymouth Argyle in the summer of 1966.
In 1968 John joined Bristol City where the his former Chelsea pal and former Coventry assistant manager Alan Dicks was in charge.
As youth team coach John took Bristol to the semi-finals of the FA Youth Cup in 1970. He then became first team coach and many of his youth team went on to help them win promotion to Division One in 1976. His son Alan told me that this was one of the most satisfying periods of his career.
In 1974 Sillett became manager of Hereford United and stamped his style on the team, winning promotion from the old Division Three as champions in his second season.
After John resigned from the Bulls in January 1978, Jimmy Hill, now Sky Blues managing director, brought him back to Highfield Road, initially as chief scout in 1979 and later as youth team coach but he made his influence felt from day one.
City striker Garry Thompson was recovering from a broken leg and recalls: “John was always encouraging me in the gym as I recovered. Later he was the great motivator in the management team and knew how to get the best out of me. “He’d take me for a coffee and give it to me straight but always with a smile. When we beat West Ham in the League Cup semi final he was first on the pitch at the final whistle with a bear hug. He was a giant.” John left the club in late 1983, soon after Bobby Gould became manager for the first time. Gould’s replacement Don Mackay, who had succeeded John as Bristol City youth team coach, invited him back in 1985 to work with the youth team who went on to reach the Youth Cup semi-finals. In April 1986 with three games remaining the Sky Blues looked to be heading for relegation following a 5-0 thrashing at Anfield. Mackay was relieved of his duties and chairman John Poynton asked ‘Snoz’ to became chief coach supported by general manager and great friend George Curtis.
The partnership was immediately successful with two of the last three games won and relegation avoided with a final day victory over Queens Park Rangers. The pair brought a breath of fresh air and a smile to the club with their happy-go-lucky attitude and expressive style of football.
With a side largely inherited from Mackay and Gould, but inspired by the partnership, the Sky Blues roared to the FA Cup final 12 months later.
Undoubtedly influenced by Jimmy Hill, John and George developed a fantastic team spirit with lots of offpitch bonding with wives heavily involved, a bond that is still strong today.
On an unforgettable day in May 1987 Sillett’s team put the smiles back on the faces of not only Coventry City but also football in general in one of the most exciting finals since the war to beat Tottenham 3-2.
Older City fans will never forget him dancing around Wembley with the cup like a child who had been given the keys to a sweet shop. Big John was deservedly rewarded with promotion to team manager.
For the next three years Sillett achieved miracles. His team was rarely out of the top half of the table and never had a relegation battle, they finished 10th, 7th and 12th and reached the League Cup semi-final in 1990.
John had his critics some of whom argued that he should have broken up the 1987 side sooner and that his transfer dealings were uninspiring. Despite this, his cheery style always shone through and he was an excellent ambassador for the club.
In October 1990 he was surprisingly relieved of duties despite City being 14th in Division One. Chairman Poynton dealt with his departure in an untidy fashion, negotiating with his successor Terry Butcher whilst John was on his sick bed and unaware of developments.
Two months later, according to son Alan, he got a call from Elton John offering him the manager’s post at Watford but he politely declined.
Eight months after departing Highfield Road John joined Hereford for a second time but the club’s finances were in a poor state and he failed to sprinkle his magic.
After Hereford he worked as a pundit on Central TV and returned to watching the Sky Blues. Many fans will remember him for his rallying call on the arrival of Ron Atkinson in 1995 when the reception he received was almost as great as that given Big Ron. With managers these days going on well into their 60s one has to wonder if John retired from club management too soon.
He continued to live in Balsall Common and was part of Sven Goran Eriksson’s scouting set-up working part-time and he boasted that it was he that recommended Wayne Rooney to Sven!
He and his wife Jean continued to be regulars at Coventry home games and in 2011 he was made a life president of the club also attending many Diamond Club and Former Players Association events.
John’s contribution to the football club and the city will never be forgotten and his name is woven into the DNA of the club. The triumvirate of Coventry City’s 20th century success – Jimmy Hill, George Curtis and John – have all now died and their passing leaves a massive hole in the club’s history but his smiling Wembley jig will forever be remembered.
John’s contribution to the football club and the city will never be forgotten and his name is woven into the DNA of the club.