Chris Cattlin wants Coventry City 'war council'

[dutchman]

Former Coventry City player Chris Cattlin has called for a "war council" of past brains from the club to try and help resolve their current plight.



Cattlin played over 200 games in eight years for Coventry, who are currently second from bottom in the Championship.

He said: "I'd like all the brains that have got great feeling for Coventry City to come together.

"I'd like to see a war council with Jimmy Hill, John Sillett, George Curtis, Tommy Hutchinson and myself."

Cattlin, who was guest of honour at Saturday's defeat at another of his former clubs Brighton, added to BBC Coventry & Warwickshire: "Perhaps we could sit round in a lounge somewhere. You never know what comes from people's ideas but you can't just keep going on from year to year in this situation."

The result at the Amex Stadium left the Sky Blues six points adrift of safety.

But Sussex-based Cattlin, who was given the job of marking George Best on his Coventry debut against Manchester United in 1968, said he had sympathy for boss Andy Thorn.

"It's very difficult for Andy Thorn," he said. "It's been well documented that they've got financial problems and until that's solved they've just got to keep their gum shields in and hang on in there.

"It's very, very difficult when you're having to get rid of experienced players like they did at the end of last season and try to keep the atmosphere going and the winning formula with the young players they've got. Until we get somebody come in with financial substance this is not going to go away.

"We need all the Coventry fans and the people to still hang on in there and still get behind them. It's easy to support a team that's winning every week but it's the clue to a great supporter when you can come when they're not doing so well."

Thorn has also been backed by Coventry's FA Cup-winning manager John Sillett, even though the team have gone eight games without a win.

"I've sat there and watched nearly every home match and I can see a side trying to play football the way I like football being played," said Sillett. "They're having no luck whatsoever.

"We've got a club there that has been brilliant in the past and it's going to be brilliant in the future, hopefully.

"We've got to get together. We've got to sort it all out off the field, sort the problems out and get them so that it goes back down the dressing room.

"Andy Thorn, for me, has got the side playing the type of football I like. I just can't believe the luck he's had. He must have killed a robin somewhere along the line.

"He's doing everything in his power. I feel terribly, terribly sorry for him and the supporters. The luck's got to change."