Doyler sets example for Gus to follow as a returning City hero

Mark Robins with Michael Doyle after the 

Sky Blues’ League Two play-off final in 2018

22 Aug 2026 - Coventry Telegraph

JIM BROWN

WHAT an evening at the CBS Arena last Friday night. A superb team performance resulted in an impressive 2-0 victory over AS Monaco with all the new signings putting in classy performances especially Caleb Yirenyki who for 64 minutes showed us why Coventry City have invested more than £20 million in the midfielder.

The 20-year-old Ghana international popped up all over the pitch with tackles, dribbles and accurate passes including the assist with Loum Tchaouna’s goal.

The performance and goals, however, were overshadowed by the events on the 64th minute when new signing and returning hero Gus Hamer came on as a substitute.

The fans were on their feet for at least five minutes as the Brazilian waited, stripped off, on the touchline. Gus’s song bellowed out around the ground as the midfield general waited patiently but with no break in play the fans were getting restless. Then suddenly he entered the theatre and the despite there only being 15,000 fans in attendance the noise was deafening. He’s been away at Sheffield United for three seasons but it was as though he had never been away.

To be fair he didn’t do a lot but every time he got the ball there was a murmur of anticipation from the stands. Probably the most popular player of the decade is back in the club and everything is going to be alright.

It got me thinking about players who have had two spells at the club and on social media I was asked to rate them. By my reckoning Hamer is the 21st player to return for a second spell at City. If Gus is as successful as the last, Michael Doyle in 2017-18, then he will probably get the Freedom of the City.

After a pretty impressive first spell at City between 2003 and 2011, Mark Robins brought him back in 2017 at the lowest point in the club’s history and ‘Doyler’ inspired and captained the team to promotion from League Two at the first attempt. Surely the most important Coventry City returnee of all-time.

In that same decade there were four other returning players. Gael Bigirimana left the club for Newcastle in a big money move as an 18-year-old in 2012 but returned in 2016 to score the first goal in the Checkatrade Trophy final against Oxford United.

Jonson Clarke-Harris had left after becoming the youngest player in the club’s history three weeks after his 16th birthday in 2010 but returned six years later to help the afore mentioned League Two promotion. A third homegrown product Ben Turner left the club for Cardiff City for a big fee and returned on loan in 2015 but managed only five starts. Current England under-21 coach Lee Carsley had left the club not long after City’s relegation from the Premier League in 2001 and enjoyed a stellar career with Everton and Birmingham before coming back to Coventry in 2010 at the age of 36. Lee hung his boots up at the end of one season in Sky Blue.

In the previous decade there were four more returnees and all four had a modicum of success on and, in Roland Nilsson’s case, off the pitch.

The cool Swede had two superb seasons under Gordon Strachan between 1997 and 1999 and when Strachan brought him back as a player-coach in 2001 little did he realise that Roland would take his job after just five games. The unflappable Swede had a golden period as City manager but ultimately carried the can, many say unfairly, for not taking them straight back to the top flight.

After captaining the club for four years (1996-2000) Gary McAllister left for Liverpool but returned as player-manager two years later and lit up Highfield Road on the pitch but struggled with managing under severe financial restraints.

Another, Gary, McSheffrey, left the club in 2006 and helped Birmingham to promotion to the Premier League before returning to his spiritual home four years later. He played more than 100 games in his second spell without really hitting the heights of his first period.

Another homegrown player Marcus Hall played almost 150 games in his first spell between 1994-2002 and after returning in 2005 played another 150-odd games over the next five seasons. Two other former youth players who left before making the first team returned – Roy O’Donovan and Colin Hawkins – but are barely remembered. Loanee Richard Duffy managed four separate loan periods for the club between 2004-08.

Going further back a number of youth products returned for second spells in the 1980s and 90s including Gary Bannister, Gary Gillespie, Keith Thompson, Jim Hagan, Mick Ferguson and the controversial Les Sealey. Ferguson and Sealey came back for brief loan spells. Gillespie returned after being away for 11 years.

None of the permanent re-signings set the world on fire.

Back in the mists of time legendary 1940s goalkeeper Alf Wood who had made more than 200 successive appearances between 1946-52 returned as a coach at the age of 40. Injuries forced him to come out of retirement and he played ten games in 1958 at the age of 43.

Billy Frith is better remembered as the manager who preceded Jimmy Hill but he had two spells, making more than 150 appearances before the Second World War and then returning in 1946 and making eight appearances before taking the manager’s chair. Frith is the only man to have two spells as a player and a manager.

Welshman George Lowrie was signed in the summer of 1939 but had to wait until 1946 to make his official debut and went on to score 47 goals in 58 games before a big money move to Newcastle in 1948.

He never really made the grade in the North East and returned to Coventry via Bristol City in 1952 at the age of 33. He failed to stop City being relegated that season and stayed just over a year.

If you enjoy this column and would like to hear more about Coventry City’s history you can listen to the Sky Blue History Podcast which is available on Apple, Spotify and Youtube. Recent guests include Joe Elliott and Lionel Bird. Just search for ‘Sky Blue History Podcast’.

If you have a question about the history or statistics of Coventry City or have a suggested topic for the podcast email me at clarriebourton@ gmail.com and follow me on X/ Twitter @clarriebourton