The exchange of players between Coventry City and Leicester City are an ongoing affair, and of course today Callum Doyle becomes a reference, on loan at Leicester from Man City this season. He was with The Sky Blues last season, losing that promotion spot in the Play-off’s to Luton. James Maddison and George Thomas are recent men at Leicester with a life in both places. Both players were Sky Blue and came through the youth system at Coventry City, before their move to Leicester City happened. George Thomas, currently with Cambridge United. James Maddison recently joined Spurs, be came to Leicester from Norwich after moving there from Coventry.
The number of players who have been in both camps are many, and players such as Julian Joachim, Dion Dublin and Marc Edworthy are just a few of relatively recent players to mention. Going back a few years the signings of Jeff Blockley and Brian Alderson are two to talk about, they both had great spells at both clubs, and again both nursed forward through the youth system at Coventry City. Blockley, who was born in Leicester, joined Coventry from school and later signed from Arsenal to Leicester by Jimmy Bloomfield. Brian Alderson came straight to Leicester from Coventry and had an instant impact as the Leicester City team flourished in those seasons Alderson was present. 1975/76 and 1976/77 were two very successful campaigns and Brian did play on a regular basis. Jimmy Holmes og Gerry Daly are other names to mention. Both at Leicester City in the 80’s, but with brief spells and leaving early. Jim Melrose and Tom English are two players that switched places and did get a career at both clubs.
Gordon Milne and Micky Adams are two to mention, none of them played for Leicester City but had manager jobs at both clubs, and Adams did both at Coventry, seen as lively full back and later a manager. Nicky Platnauer made his move to Leicester City at a time when he was a proven professional but in his early days referred to as a mailman after coming into the professional game in his early 20’s from non-league. Platnauer enjoyed a spell at Coventry City in the top flight and played for Leicester City mostly in the 2nd tier a few years later.
Trevor Benjamin had a nomadic life in football, and during his days at Leicester City going a number of times out on loan. Despite his travelling around he added up 81 league games and scored 11 goals during his five years at the club. His spell at Coventry was brief, playing 12 league games and scoring 1 single goal. Not really much remembered, but Tim Flowers did move on loan to Coventry City while at Leicester City, playing 5 league games. He was a first choice at Leicester City for his first two season but lost his gloves to Ian Walker and spent the last two seasons as his understudy experiencing a rollecoaster ride with an EFL Cup win, relegation and promotion.
Kevin MacDonald, Pegguy Arphexad and Gary McAllister are three special guys, all of them representing Leicester City, Liverpool and Leicester City. They had different roles and different lives at the three clubs. Arphexad didn’t appear as much as the two others and was seen as a understudy at all clubs.
Peter Shilton never appeared in the Coventry City first team but from 1995 to 1996 listed and registered as a first team player at the club. He was a legend at Leicester City in his early days, and after his days as a Sky Blue he appeared in the league for Leyton Orient and reached his tally of more than 1000 league games, appearing nine times for the Londoners. David Speedie is of course one not to forget, spending some of his best seasons at Coventry City, being there from 1987 to 1991, adding up 122 league games and scoring 31 goals. He also had a good campaign with Leicester, helping them to promotion in the 1993/ 94 season.
A list of players in both camps,
- Goalkeepers
- Tim Flowers
- Peter Shilton
- Pegguy Arphexad
- Defenders
- Jeff Blockley
- Marc Edworthy
- Jimmy Holmes
- David Langan
- Steve Walsh
- Callum Doyle
- Midfield
- Gerry Daly
- Brian Alderson
- Nicky Platnauer
- James Maddison
- Gary McAllister
- Kevin MacDonald
- Forwards
- Dion Dublin
- Jim Melrose
- Julian Joachim
- Tom English
- David Speedie
- George Thomas
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