Steve Cotterill: Working from hospital helped me focus on recovering

The Town boss spent many a sleepless night across two stints in Bristol Royal Infirmary, where he battled severe Covid-19-related illness, calling the shots on Town’s League One survival.

He would instruct training drills, opposition analysis, matchday tactics and much more, scribbling notes at night as he struggled to sleep while steroids pumped through his body. Each instruction was relaid to assistant Aaron Wilbraham, who picked them up when he opened his eyes in the morning.

“In the hospital I may start feeling tired at 10 or 11, I’d go out like a light but wouldn’t sleep more than three or four hours, and it wasn’t like I slept in the day either,” said Cotterill.

“I’d wake at 1 or 2 in the morning, ring for a cup of tea and be wide awake. That’s when I’d do the planning and preparation for Aaron. He deserves so much credit. I couldn’t give him enough. One wheelbarrow of credit wouldn’t be enough. I love him to death."

“The worst part is I’d only have a pad. I had to draw the pitch, that was annoying.

“I had to get coloured pens that the nurses used, he’d wake up to this piece of paper in the morning and it’d look like the Red Arrows had flown over the pages.

“Then on his way in we’d call one another and talk through it on his trip in. He went in and share it with the staff and would then phone me before training or a text with a thumbs up and an ‘all negative’, I wanted to know about the testing.”

Cotterill explained doctors and nurses knew to leave ‘matchday – do not disturb’ signs on his door and windows when Town were in action.

Salop fans were understandably concerned about the 56-year-old boss pushing himself too hard while working tirelessly from hospital. Some got in touch with the club, asking him to take time out.

Cotterill said: “That part gave me some focus. I know lots of people sent messages to the club about working from hospital, I actually think it helped me, looking back now. It gave me that focus.”