Could Marlon King be sent to Coventry?
Marlon King, the disgraced former Wigan striker, is reportedly close to returning to football with his former manager Aidy Boothroyd at Coventry.
King, 30, is serving an 18-month jail term for sexual assault but is due to be released before the start of next season and he will be a free agent following Wigan chairman Dave Whelan’s decision to cancel his contract at the DW Stadium.
Despite all the controversy off the field King is renowned as a talented lower-league striker, who guarantees goals, a much sought-after attribute for many managers.
Boothroyd guided King through the most successful period of his career at Watford and has not ruled out reuniting their partnership.
Boothroyd told the Coventry Telegraph: "As far as I am concerned, Marlon was fantastic for me. He scored 23 goals and made Watford an awful lot of money and was a cult figure there and, when he was with me, he behaved himself and was good for me and the club and I think I was good for him.
"Is he on my radar? I like to think that I have a relationship with all the players I have worked with and, if they ever needed anything, I would like to think that I would help if I could.”
The Coventry fan-base is not surprisingly split on whether the signing of King would be good for the club.
“This person is not the type of character we want our youngsters supporting,” said a poster going by the name Devon_Mike on the club’s message board.
“I was looking forward to the new season but I feel we have taken on a manager with poor judgment.
“Maybe I have wasted my money on new home and away shirts. Let us all say no to this idea now, we do not need/want Marlon King or the likes of in our team.”
Simonnesty, in response to Devon_Mike, disagreed.
“Personal lives of footballers shouldn't come into it, He's a great player. Sign him, loan him out for 2 months to get him match fit and then put him in the team and watch the King come back to the Championship.”
The incident that landed King in jail wasn’t the first time he has been in trouble with the law.
King has received fines, driving bans, community service sentences and a rehabilitation order during the past 10 years. Also in his earlier days as a young professional he was ordered to pay compensation on convictions including theft, criminal damage and driving without insurance. And don’t forget, during his amateur days, an incident that left a man wounded and in hospital.
But everyone is due a 15th chance aren’t they?
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