Fundraiser for football legends statue reaches goal

George Curtis and John Sillett guided Coventry City to FA Cup victory in 1987

A campaign to fund a statue to two football legends has hit its fundraising goal thanks to a pop star's donation.

Coventry City Football Club has commissioned a sculptor to build a statue of former players John Sillett and George Curtis, to be displayed outside the stadium.

In January, the club said it had raised £135,000 in donations and needed to raise another £87,000.

The fundraising target has finally been met thanks to a donation from Coventry City and "adoptive son of the city", Tom Grennan.

Grennan previously paid £2,000 to fly a fellow Coventry City fan from Argentina to Wembley to watch the Championship play-off final.

Joe Elliot, the former Coventry City chairman who is chairing the statue fundraising committee, told BBC CWR: "Tom Grennan, our adopted son of the city and Sky Blues fan, through his manager John Dawkins, has completed the fund with enough money that we can now be confident that it's going to happen."

Mr Elliot said the statue was currently being made, "full speed ahead", by sculptor Douglas Jennings.

"Adopted son of the city", singer-songwriter Tom Grennan, is a Coventry City fan

Mr Elliot went to see the statue with the families of John Sillett and George Curtis on Monday and said it was "the most amazing work of art".

"It's just gonna look magnificent, we're just so pleased with it," he said.

"It's fantastic for the club [and] it's fantastic for the existing players, to see history when they walk in the arena.

"It will be iconic, there's no doubt about it. This sort of statue has not been done before."

The statue will be placed outside the club superstore and players' entrance at the stadium.

Mr Elliot said people had been "so generous" and that anybody who had donated would be delighted with the final result.

"It will bring joy to Coventry City fans and the global public that visit the arena," he said.

Curtis and Sillett are known for guiding Coventry City to FA Cup victory in 1987.

Curtis, a former captain and manager, is remembered for helping the club rise through the leagues and his appearance total of 543 games from 1956 to 1969 remains the second highest in the club's history.

Known as 'Iron Man' George, he went on to play an influential role behind the scenes at the Sky Blues from 1972 to 1994 in commercial roles and as managing director.

He died in July 2021 at the age of 82.

Sillett joined the club as a player in 1962 and had spells on the coaching staff in the late 70s and the 80s.

He then took on the role as chief coach ahead of the 1987 victory and went on to take sole charge of team affairs, achieving tenth, seventh and twelfth place finishes before leaving the club in November 1990.

He died aged 85 in November 2021.