Former Coventry City midfielder Lloyd McGrath feels that 1987 was the start of the Sky Blues downfall.
Speaking to the Coventry Observer’s Steve Carpenter, McGrath whose cross came off Gary Mabbutt’s knee and sailed over Ray Clemence to give City a 3-2 1987 FA Cup Final victory over Tottenham, said: "The FA Cup final year was obviously a very special year for the club but before that we had been through years of struggle and we always seemed to find ourselves in a relegation scrap, but that changed in 1987.
"We went thought the streets of Coventry on the Sunday morning on the bus and that was amazing, and again the amount of people that came out was unbelievable.
"For months after the final the city was buzzing because of what we had achieved and it was a great feeling.
"You can't really forget it because people will always remind you which is a shame in one way because I would have hoped the club would have moved on from that.
"I personally feel when we won the cup in 1987 that was the start of the downfall for Coventry City Football Club.
"It's a crying shame that the club hasn't come closing to any sort of success in 25 years. We have done nothing in the league and nothing in the cup, which is quite disappointing really.
"I think we got to the semi-finals in the League Cup one year, but apart from that we have done nothing.
"Perhaps Coventry as a whole got a bit too big for its boots. They spent a bit too much money on players, eventually moved away from Highfield Road to the Ricoh Arena when they couldn't really afford to and they've never had stability with managers.
"It's just gone downhill and to have such magnificent stadium and for the club to be where they are is a crying shame."
FA Cup shine fading from glory for Lloyd McGrath | Coventry Observer
Source: FOOTYMAD
