‘Jodi has been hugely unlucky with injuries – he has shown tremendous character to come back. I know everyone wishes him the best’
SKY BLUES BOSS PRAISES WINGER WHO IS LEAVING THE CLUB AFTER SIX YEARS
COVENTRY City have published the club’s ‘retained list’ with one name dominating the headlines.
The Sky Blues have announced that fans’ favourite Jodi Jones is leaving the club after six years, during which time he captured the hearts of many of the supporters, first with his exceptional talent and then through three agonising seasons when his career was struck down with three success cruciate knee ligament injuries.
The 24-year-old winger, who played for City in the Checkatrade Trophy win in 2017, leaves after making 91 appearances for the club, having scored eight goals.
Signing for the club in March 2016 on loan with a view to a permanent deal that summer, Jones scored a memorable hat-trick on the first day of the 2017/18 League Two season when he took the division by storm.
Often being singled out by opposition managers, he attracted the attention of then Championship Leeds United who were poised to make a January bid for his services.
However, he suffered his first serious knee injury on a cold and wet night at Stevenage in November of that season, resulting in him missing the rest of the campaign.
He then suffered more agony in the
2018/19 and 2020/21 seasons, restricting his playing time severely. Undeterred, Jones showed remarkable mental strength to bounce back again, playing 12 times during the 2021/22 campaign, largely as an impact substitute from the bench.
Although the club had an option in his contract to extend his stay for another year, manager Mark Robins (left) has made the difficult decision to let the player go.
Josh Pask also leaves the Sky Blues following the conclusion of his contract. The centre-half, who joined from West Ham’s development side in 2019, made 23 appearances for the club, including twice as City won promotion to the Championship, and scored one goal. He has been on loan with League Two Newport County since January.
Elsewhere, a one-year option has been taken up on Jordan Shipley’s contract, although the Academy graduate is set to leave the club after a bid has been accepted from League One Shrewsbury Town for the 24-year-old midfielder who played his last game for his hometown club at Stoke at the weekend.
Turning to the Under-23s, Jonny Ngandu and Aaron Evans-harriott will both leave City following the expiry of their contracts this summer, while one-year options have been taken up in the contracts of development players Aidan Finnegan, Jay Mcgrath and Blaine Rowe.
Jake Clarke-salter and Ian Maatsen return to parent club Chelsea following the end of their loan deals with the Sky Blues. All other players currently under contract remain at the club.
Robins said: “I would like to thank those who are leaving for their time with us, the contributions that they have made to Coventry City, and wish them all of the best for their future football careers.
“In particular, I would like to thank Jodi Jones for his time with the Sky Blues. Jodi has been with the club since 2016 and while he has made some key contributions to our success during that time, he has been hugely unlucky with injuries.
“He has shown tremendous character to come back, is a great person and I know everyone connected to the Sky Blues wishes him the best.” He added: “I would also like to thank Jake Clarke-salter as his time on loan with us ends, after he made an outstanding contribution to our season. Ian Maatsen also had a big impact with us, winning Young Player of the Season, and I’d like to thank him too. They have both been a credit to themselves and to Chelsea.”
Jodi has been with the club since 2016 and while he has made some key contributions to our success. Mark Robins