Coventry City, a Midlands' city was targeted in November 1940 by 400 bombers from the Germans' Luftwaffe, because it held many manufacturing sites. The Sky Blues, formed as Singers FC in 1883, gives a clue as to the type of engineering the original Coventry players were involved in. Even these factories were described as "legitimate war time targets". Nearby Coventry Cathedral inevitably suffered as shown here.
Exeter City, hardly a hive of industry in the South-west, appears to have been blasted in the "Baedeker Raids" in April/May 1942, an attack to affect morale, as many historic buildings were brought down. Talk about getting under their finger nails. Apparently, this was done in retribution to the Lubeck bombing earlier in the year.
Either way, both English cities (and Lubeck eventually) were rebuilt with their traditional businesses and buildings re-established.
On Monday the football teams of Coventry and Exeter played each other in an attempt to "build morale" by earning the heady wealth of promotion to the English League One. Just as these two cities were rebuilt after the war, so would their football club be rejuvenated with a step up the football hierarchy. But only one team could win.
In the end, once the dust had settled, Mark Robins took Coventry back to League One, their first promotion for 51 years, following last season's relegation. The last time the club went up was under Jimmy Hill, rising into the old First division in 1967. Surviving in this top tier for 34 years and of course winning the FA Cup in 1987, there came a steady decline.
Last season, ending in 2017, they won the Checkatrade (EFL) Trophy, playing at Wembley against Oxford United. That season Coventry were relegated to the fourth tier EFL 2, the first time since 1959.
Exeter, who got back into the Football League in 2008, sadly will suffer even more after this loss, as manager, Paul Tisdale, and Director of Football, Steve Perryman, are due to leave the club. What will happen to the Grecians next year and who will snap up Tisdale and Perryman??
Maybe there is a German club in need of new life?
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