James Maddison has issued an apology to Coventry City supporters after his emotional return to action ended in a 3-1 defeat for the Sky Blues at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Monday. The former Coventry academy product, making his first competitive start in 18 months following a serious knee injury, opened the scoring with a stunning 20-yard strike in the 14th minute.
Maddison celebrated by kissing the Tottenham crest on his shirt, a gesture he later addressed on social media. "I will 100% apologise to anyone who thought the timing was bad, as my first goal back just happened to be against my hometown club," Maddison said. He explained the celebration was intended to honour the Spurs staff and fans who supported his family through what he called the darkest days of his career during his ACL recovery. The midfielder added that he absolutely adores Coventry City and will always be a fan, wishing manager Frank Lampard and the team good luck for the rest of the season.
Match report: Tottenham 3-1 Coventry
Jack Rudoni hammered in a close-range equaliser for Coventry just four minutes after half-time, capitalising on a cutback from Brandon Thomas-Asante. The parity was short-lived, however, as Omar Marmoush restored Tottenham's lead on 58 minutes, spinning Milan van Ewijk and curling a shot from the edge of the area beyond goalkeeper Carl Rushworth. The match was settled deep into added time when Ben Davies' tame shot from distance sneaked past Rushworth in the 96th minute.
The result halts a two-match winning run for Coventry, who had previously beaten Newcastle and Nottingham Forest. It leaves Frank Lampard's side 17th in the Premier League table with six points from seven games, just one point above the relegation zone. Their recent form reads two wins and three losses from the last five outings. The defeat was Coventry's first-ever visit to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The team's current league position of 17th is built on a record of two wins and five losses from their seven matches, leaving them a significant 15 points behind leaders Manchester City. Their goal difference of minus eight, with six scored and 14 conceded, shows the challenge they face.
Coventry's next challenge is a key home fixture against 18th-placed Fulham at the Coventry Building Society Arena on Saturday, October 24. The upcoming match against Fulham, who sit one place below them, presents a key opportunity to build distance from the bottom three. Looking at their recent results, the win over Newcastle was a comprehensive 4-1 victory, with Jack Rudoni scoring a penalty and Ellis Simms also on the scoresheet, while their other recent results include a 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest and losses to Aston Villa, Brighton, and Manchester City.
The original report is at uk.sports.yahoo.com
The 3-1 defeat at Tottenham was Coventry's third loss in their last five matches. James Maddison has now elaborated on his apology, stating his celebration was a pre-planned tribute. "I had already planned my first goal back," Maddison said, explaining he kissed the Tottenham badge to thank the club for supporting his family through his ACL recovery. The result leaves Coventry 17th in the Premier League, with a goal difference of minus eight. They host Fulham on October 24.
James Maddison has now elaborated on his apology. The Tottenham midfielder said his goal celebration was a pre-planned tribute. "I had already planned my first goal back," Maddison said. He explained he kissed the Tottenham badge to thank the club for supporting his family through his ACL recovery. The 3-1 defeat at Tottenham was Coventry's third loss in their last five matches. The result leaves them 17th in the Premier League.
