Coventry City statue fundraiser reaches target thanks to Tom Grennan

A campaign to fund a statue of two football legends has reached its fundraising target thanks to a donation from a pop star.

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 a further £87,000.

The fundraising target has finally been reached thanks to a donation from Coventry City and ‘adopted son of the city’ Tom Grennan.

Joe Elliot, former Coventry City chairman who chairs the statue fundraising committee, told BBC CWR: “Tom Grennan, our city’s adopted son and Sky Blues fan, through his manager John Dawkins, topped up the fund with enough money that we Now I can be confident that it will happen”.

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

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 going to look magnificent, we’re so pleased with it,” he said.

“It’s fantastic for the club (and) it’s fantastic for the existing players, to see the history when they walk into the arena.

“It will be iconic, there’s no doubt about it. This type of statue has never been done before.”

The statue will be located outside the club’s superstore and the players’ entrance to the stadium.

Mr Elliot said people had been “so generous” and anyone who donated would be delighted with the end result.

“It will bring joy to Coventry City fans and the global public who visit the arena,” he said.

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

Curtis, a former captain and manager, is remembered for helping the club rise up the league and his total appearance of 543 games from 1956 to 1969 remains the second most 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, aged 82.

Sillett joined the club as a player in 1962 and had a coaching spell in the late 1970s and 1980s.

He then took over as head coach ahead of the 1987 victory and went on to take sole responsibility for the team’s affairs, securing positions in the tenth, seventh and twelfth places before leaving the club in November 1990.

He died aged 85 in November 2021.