Coventry City FC (The Bantams, Sky Blues)

Now the City are back in Division Three

A bit before your time I imagine. But the players name is Toseland I have to go into the census sheets to trace his exact name and particulars. An uncommon name so it should not be too difficult, bare with me on this one, I am not very clever with 'leg work'. Just adding to the above, going by a census page in an ancestry book compiled for us by our eldest granddaughter, there are two other Toselands other than my grandfather and they are a George H and a Simon G and that is all I can find. I did have an uncle, Bill but he was in London serving in the Royal Guards and I do know he was not into soccer. I will have to leave the rest to the experts TonyS. Not very helpful am I ?

Dreamtine: Ernie Toseland played 22 times for City between 1925 and 1928, scoring 11 goals. He joined City from Higham Town and left for Manchester City. There is a picture of him on the 1928-29 team photo in the book 'Coventry City - A Complete Record 1883-1991' by Jim Brown and others. According to Wiki, he was born on 17 March 1905 and died on 19 October 1987. He had a distinguished career at Manchester City, playing in 2 FA Cup finals in 1933 and 1934, winning the latter.

Dreamtime, I did google Toseland 1935 after you uploaded the photo this morning this is the link things you can get from google "but they're not always right" this will be P.S. We still have an old man in the bowling club that will answer to the name of "Twinkle Toes O'Brien" but I never knew the player he got the name from until today Thanks

Dougie: As a follow-up, there are two bits of football trivia regarding that Manchester City team in 1937-38. I believe they were the first and only defending champions in the top flight to be relegated. And also the only team to have been relegated having scored more goals than they conceded. A little more on Toseland's City career. His debut was on 5th September 1928, scoring in a 2-4 defeat at Watford. His final game as on 23rd February 1929 in a 1-1 draw at home to Luton.

Thank you for all the information MisterD-Di, I have come to a dead end here as I have no record of an 'Ernie'. Obviously there are more Toselands than we knew of. Unless of course we have a skeleton in the cupboard we did not know about. My grandfather did have a link with Northampton during some stage in his early life (he was born in Weedon) but most of his life was spent in Coventry.

Thanks Dougie, very interesting link. Mmm, noticed Ernie was born in Northampton, that's about the only link we have with him. As I am the only Toseland left now (maiden name) and third generation - the plot thickens does it not?

With the City doing well a couple more extracts from my 1936-37 Littlewoods Football Annual.

There was a programme on the other day, one of these game shows that asked the person. What was the original name of the Coventry City Football Club? Out of the three names given, Singers football club was the right name. Was that right?

Spot on Baz. There's an area at The Ricoh where the more verbal of fans sit/stand known as Singers Corner.

Thanks Bad Boy.

I'm told there is a plaque in a turfed area on the site of the Highfield Road pitch (I can't bring myself to go and see it for myself) with an inaccurate inscription relating to The Singers FC. Whoever designed it clearly hadn't done their research, instead of bicycles, there are sewing machines adorned on it. Unbelievable.

You are correct, Bad Boy. It is an appalling monument and an insult to the memory of the club's spiritual home. I raised this on a thread entitled Highfield Road on this forum in December last year. Since them it has also been mentioned by a club historian in the Coventry Telegraph, but as far as I'm aware, this abomination is still there.

Sad to hear of the passing today (25 Nov) of former Sky Blues manager Dave Sexton at the age of 82 Wiki entry

I posted on this site how I got to go to Highfield Road for the first time at the age of 7. As my sons grew up they both wanted to go to watch The City and I wrote to the club to explain that I was bringing them to see their first ever game. Dave Sexton (the manager at the time) wrote back and invited them to meet the players before and after the game and sit in the VIP area. He was lovely, a really nice man. Rest in peace Dave.