John Sillet

The Official Website takes a look at a man who played a large part in both Hereford United's and Coventry City's histories – John Sillett.

John was born in Southampton in 1936 and was a larger than life character, well known in the footballing world. He is someone who played a large part in both Hereford’s and Coventry’s history, helping both teams to historic wins.

John’s playing days saw him and his elder-brother Phillip, follow in his fathers footsteps, and play for their hometown side, Southampton. After their brief spells with the south coast team, they both moved onto Chelsea as teenagers, where John would enjoy the highlight of his playing career, winning the Championship title in 1955. He later moved onto Coventry and Plymouth Argyle.

Whilst at Stamford Bridge, John played over 100 games but scored just the single goal. Sillett finally departed Chelsea after the arrival of Tommy Docherty in 1961, deciding to move onto Coventry City who were, at the time being managed by Jimmy Hill.

During his spell at Highfield Road, John played his part in winning the Third Division title in 1964, but his playing days were limited after suffering a back problem and in 1966 he joined Plymouth Argyle, where he would eventually end his playing career.

After retirement John stayed with football and moved into coaching. Whilst a member of Bristol City’s coaching staff, John applied for the vacant managers job at newly promoted Hereford United, and in June 1973, John took over from United’s outgoing, giantkilling-manager, Colin Addison.

Sillett’s first spell at Edgar Street started off brightly. During his first season he managed to guide his team into a respectable mid-table position, a vast improvement on the clubs 18th position the year previously.

It was the following season however, in 1975/76, that Sillett’s managerial skills really shone through. Helped by the inspirational signing of Dixie McNeil, Sillett soon guided Hereford to the Third Division title.

Promotion to Division 2 (the Championship in today’s money) still remains as United’s highest league played in, and it happened during a glorious spell for the Bulls. Just four years previously, United had enjoyed their epic FA Cup victory over Newcastle United, and now the new breed of players and staff at Edgar Street had added further silverware to the clubs trophy cabinet.

The glory years weren’t set to last for Sillett though, as he became the first manager in history to see his side promoted from Division Three into Division Two, and suffer relegation back to where they came from the following season (1976/77). United had won just eight Division Two matches all season, finishing rock bottom in 22nd place.

Sillett managed to hold on to the managerial reigns despite the clubs relegation from Division Two, but not for long, in February, mid-way through the 1977/78 season, Sillett resigned from his post at Edgar Street. Tony Ford was introduced as the clubs caretaker manager, but he failed to put a halt to United’s decline, and eventually saw them relegated for the second successive season, dropping back down to the basement of league football, and into Division Four.

After Sillett’s departure from Edgar Street his career went quiet, but he ended up back at Highfield Road in 1983 after Bobby Gould - himself an ex-Hereford manager - invited ‘Snozz’ to join him on the coaching staff at Coventry. Sillett’s first spell at Coventry on the coaching side was brief though, with him lasting just a single year alongside Gould, before leaving due to a poor period of form.

Sillett wasn’t away from the Sky Blues for long however, with Don Mackay calling him back two years later in 1985. This time it was Mackay’s time that was limited and when Mackay departed in 1986 John Sillett was appointed chief coach alongside George Curtis.

It was under this regime that Coventry flourished after years of underachievement, and with a side built under both the Gould and Mackay periods, the fresh input of Curtis and Sillett, and an improved style of football under their leadership led to some good times knocking on Coventry’s door.

On May 16th 1987 Coventry managed to secure a cup final showdown against Tottenham Hotspurs at Wembley. It would be an understatement to say that Coventry were underdogs, but in true FA Cup tradition (as Hereford can vouch) the underdogs shone through, winning the game 3-2.

Coventry’s celebrations along the touchline of Wembley, led by their chief coach, Sillet, will be an enduring piece of TV footage, and like the Radford/George celebrations of ’72 never fails to get an airing each time Cup fever hits the screens.

Sillett’s efforts in guiding Coventry to their first ever major cup win was rewarded with promotion to first team manager, and two months after the Wembley final Sillett made his first major signing of his Sky-Blue managerial career. David Speedie was signed from Chelsea for just under £800,000, and as if he didn’t want to disappoint, the occasion bought out a typical Sillett quote. “Coventry City have shopped at Woolworth’s for too long, from now on we’re shopping at Harrods”.

The following years saw Sillett manage a relatively successful Coventry side, with relegation battles seemingly a thing of the past for the Highfield Road faithful. But life was not all plain sailing, Coventry suffered famous FA Cup defeats of their own, with their defeat to Sutton Town ranking as one of the all time cup upsets in English football. (not quite comparing to United’s epic win over Newcastle though!)

At the beginning of the 1990/1991 season, Sillett was given his marching orders from Highfield Road, after he indicated his intention not to renew his contract beyond that season, but it was not a good bye to football, or indeed Coventry, as he would soon return in the near future.

In 1991 - with the United board looking to rekindle the glory years of the early 70’s - Sillett retuned to Edgar Street, but his time was brief and unsuccessful, with him leaving at the end of his first full season (1991/92) after failing to lead Hereford to anything other than their ‘usual’ 17th placing in the league.

His second stint as United manager was his last major involvement with football, and he later became a well known and popular part of Central TV’s weekly football coverage. Sillett has always kept his hand in with the competitive side of football however, mainly with numerous scouting duties, which has led to him having roles on the scouting team of none other than Sven Goran Eriksson.