A-Z of Coventry City transfers: S for Speedie

Coventry City’s FA Cup win of 1987 allowed John Sillett to dream big about the future at Highfield Road and insist that from now on his transfer shopping would be done at Harrods rather than Woolworths!

The football equivalent of the top Knightsbridge store was raided for the first time in the summer of 1987 for a controversial Scottish forward by the name of David Speedie, who cost City a club record fee of £780,000 from Chelsea.

Speedie netted on his debut against Tottenham but impressed only in patches during that first season. He made himself a fans favourite over the next couple of years however with some exquisite goals, usually chips over a stranded goalkeeper or well-timed headers, defying his small stature.

Always fiery on and off the pitch, Speedie’s was dropped in September 1990 for disciplinary reasons and was moved on pretty quickly by incoming boss Terry Butcher.

Kenny Dalglish’s final months as Liverpool manager were marked by some strange signings and eyebrows were raised when he paid £675,000 for Speedie’s services.