Ben Wilson makes Coventry City exit admission and addresses Sky Blues contract.
Coventry City news from CoventryLive as goalkeeper Ben Wilson reveals how close he came to leaving the Sky Blues this summer.
Ben Wilson admits he had resigned himself to leaving Coventry City in the summer after fearing he’d slipped down to third choice goalkeeper following the arrival of Oliver Dovin.
The 32-year-old – one of the stars of the Sky Blues’ 2022/23 campaign – revealed that “calls were made” by his agent ahead of the summer transfer window closing. But in a remarkable turnaround for fortunes, the player’s hard work paid off and he started the season as understudy.
And after impressing in City’s Carabao Cup campaign, he’s now back in the team and in possession of the gloves – with a clean sheet against Blackburn Rovers on Tuesday night cementing his place in the side, for the short-term at least.
“I came in at the start of the season not knowing what my future held at Coventry City,” admitted the bubbly character, “but I got my head down and worked hard, and have been rewarded for that, so I am absolutely buzzing for it.”
Asked if he thought he’d be looking for a new club when he ended last season as second choice behind Brad Collins amid talk of a new keeper being sought in the summer, he said: “Yes, obviously there were rumours of a new goalkeeper coming in and I knew I was number two, not getting in last season and in my head I thought, ‘yep, I’m away.’
“I spoke to a few people over the summer, both internally and obviously my agent, and that was the way it was looking. But deep down I didn’t want to go because I feel really at home and I love Coventry and love playing for the club, and in my head I didn’t want to leave. But it felt inevitable that I was going to.
“Luckily for myself, however, I got my head down and I have been rewarded for all the hard work I put in during pre-season.”
With three senior goalkeepers, he wasn’t even certain to get a place on the bench.
“Yes, and obviously coming back I was thinking that I would be third choice, and it’s not something I wanted to do,” he said.
“I’m sure a lot of people wouldn’t mind doing that role in the Premier League at Man City, but I tasted playing properly for the first time two seasons ago and I loved it. I didn’t really enjoy last season, in and out and playing a few games, but to be pushed to third choice was not where I wanted to be in my career just now.
“So I got my head down, worked hard for whatever happened, whether that be staying at Coventry City or moving on, I wasn’t too sure, but from day one my mind was set on doing what I could to give myself the best chance of playing, whether that be here or elsewhere.”
Asked if he had interest from other clubs and if it got that far, he joked: “I was on the phone to Viktor Gyokeres most of the time asking if Lisbon needed a goalkeeper!
“But there were a couple of calls made. There were rumours and there was talk but nothing for me to go and say, ‘let’s get it done,’ because at the end of the day I wanted to be at Coventry City and I wanted to make sure I worked hard enough to be here. And luckily I did enough to still be here past the transfer window.”
In his last year of his contract, he revealed his desire to stay at the club beyond next summer.
