The former had his moments, most notably this season, his F.A. Cup goal versus Blackburn - truly stunning, and had it been scored by a better known player, with a bigger reputation .... etc, etc. The latter, well, he was quite simply the worst striker I've seen in a Coventry City shirt, and that list is fairly extensive! Kyle claims his wage was a factor behind the supporters dislike of him, but the truth is it was his massive lack of ability. He couldn't head the ball properly, lacked pace, didn't know where the net was .... well, whatever it is that a target man is supposed to do, he didn't do it.

Kyle's parting interview saw him state that we are the worst supporters he's known. Personally, I think we are the most long suffering (See statistic about us being the only side not to finish in a Top 6 position in the lasy however many years!), and were certainly not on his case from Day One, as Day One was quite decent for him! (A debut goal which almost reduced him to tears). I did not even dislike him from Day Two. On Day Three I did realise he was the sack of *** Sunderland fans said he was.

Tony Dobson once claimed he was very lucky to play for Coventry City, because there were far better players than him at his school, let alone the rest of this City. Kyle was so poor I could see him being the player two captains fight over when picking sides for a match: 'You have him'. 'F*** off, I don't want him'. 'Well I'm not f***ing having him....'

Sent off in his last two games for the club, and with a scoring record far worse than some central defenders, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mick McCarthy and Wolves! I hope he has enough decent games for Wolves for them to decide they want him, because the majority don't want him back at the Arena. And, thanks to his out-burst, I can't see it happening....

Only two players were brought in, both promising young defenders, to replace two strikers(!). And, if the write-ups are true, Coventry City have landed two gems - all-be-it from a lower league side. Why do we need our own Academy when we can just buy Walsall's best?! (Quite lucky to land Fox and Dann as our scouts don't normally venture as far as Wdnesbury anymore, not now Coventry has its own IKEA).

Back to football matters on the pitch....

A less than convincing F.A. Cup win at home to Millwall, thanks to goals from Stephen Hughes and Michael Mifsud (With Simpson replying for the away side), saw us earn a tricky home fixture versus WBA. There was no return to the pitch for Richard Shaw, who had to settle for a place as an unused substitute on the Millwall bench. Shame, as playing against such a player might have helped Mifsud find his missing confidence.

Coventry City's make-shift defence saw a central midfield player at right-back, a left-back in the centre of defence, and an attack minded left midfield player at left-back. That said, they probably looked better than a defence that usually has three out of four positions correctly filled!

Tabb and Davis were both forced into goal-line clearances within seconds of each other early on, in a scramble that also saw Konstantopolous injured. With no substitute keeper on the bench (Mistake!), there were concerns that Stephen Hughes might have to don the No. 1 shirt again. There were also a fair few over zealous challenges from the away side that went largely unpunished (Including one from a drop ball, millimetres away from the referee, that left Doyle in agony).

A late Ward error gifted Millwall the chance of an equaliser, and, to use a well worn cliche, it really was easier to score, but the chance was squandered, and an unwanted replay in East London was avoided.

The entrance fee for this game seemed slightly excessive to me, £20+ to watch a struggling Championship side versus a struggling League One side, though 17,000+ still turned up - a fair few, it seems, for a spot of fisticuffs. And so it proved. Sadly, the ugly spectacle of football violence reared its head before and after this game, as the away side lived up to their reputation (Which I wrongly thought was disappearing).

Team: Konstantopolous, Osbourne, Davis, Borrowdale, Ward, Tabb, S. Hughes, Doyle, Gray, Adebola (Simpson 71), Mifsud (Best 89). SNU: Cairo, Francis, Thornton.

One mistake in a match of few chances was enough for Hull to steal the points in the first game in a run of nine winnable fixtures for Coventry City. A long punt up-field was missed by Ward, who had enjoyed a decent game up until then, allowing Folan to lob Konstantopolous. The main plus of the night was a competent debut from newly signed left-back Daniel Fox, who was forced to leave the pitch after 80 minutes.

Team: Konstantopolous, Osbourne, Fox (Borrowdale 80), De Zeeuw, Ward, Tabb, S. Hughes, Doyle, Davis (Simpson 83), Adebola, Mifsud (Best 85). SNU: Cairo, Gray.

Barnsley made what looked a  fair few decent signings in the transfer window, and I confess, I expected the dismal run (Six defeats in seven) to continue .... though with the deadwood strike force gone, I was probably slightly more confident than I might otherwise have been!

Leon Best, booed when coming on as a late substitute versus Millwall, was given generous applause this time, and it's to be hoped, with the transfer window closed, he withdraws his transfer request (A fair few articles about him today, but I didn't read those words). Two quality goals, and a couple of assists, not to mention a potential hat-trick goal chalked off late on, was about as good a display as has been seen by a Coventry City forward in a fair while. Not based on the display versus Barnsley, but on what I've seen this season, Best could be a real talent, and the decision not to double our money on him last week will hopefully prove very justified.

That performance from Best is probably what we would have seen more of had he not been third or lower in the pecking order to two donkeys....

Fox put in another decent display, and was unlucky to receive a yellow card, when what looked like a foul by Campbell-Ryce was given the wrong way. There was a Stuart Pearce-esque challenge in the second half that really let his opponent know he was there! Jay Tabb was also outstanding, and scored his second goal from millimetres away from the goal-line this season! Julian Gray also got onto the score-sheet, tapping in at the far post after more good work from Best.

If there was any negatives to come from the game, it was that Mifsud's poor run of form continues - not that it mattered! Simpson did more in 18 minutes than Mifsud managed in 72, playing a large role in the last two goals.

It is quite easy to get carried away with a win after six defeats in seven league games - but why not?! That's what football fans do! (Just like booing a player one week, and cheering hm the next). There was a slightly different Coventry side on view, one that seemed to realise the weakest link(s) have left, and played with more confidence because of it. Even Osbourne had a few quality, marauding runs down the wing!

Some have said that Barnsley were poor, personally, I just thought we made them look poor by playing how we are comfortable playing - mainly along the floor (So much so that I didn't have to sit at the back of the stand to avoid the usual potential stiff neck). Unlike some, I'll take nothing away from our victory. It was noticeable that the entire team joined in with goal celebrations, and they looked meant too.

Worth noting that both Adebola and Kyle were on the wrong end of 3-0 defeats for their new clubs....

Team: Konstantopoulos, Osbourne, De Zeeuw  (Dann 85), Ward, Fox, Tabb, S. Hughes, Doyle,Gray (Davis 82), Mifsud (Simpson 72), Best. SNU: Cairo, M Hughes.

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