What is Coventry's biggest claim to fame? Is it the fact it's the midlands second largest city after Birmingham? As glorious as that is, that's not it. Is it the fact that it's twinned with Dresden in Germany? Close - but no cigar. What about the famous 11th Century exploits of Lady Godiva? Quite simply, a flat no. In terms of Football Casual culture, it's biggest claim is that it gave birth to 'The Specials'.

Formed in 1977 by Jerry Dammers, Lynval Golding and Horace Panter - 'The Automatics', and then soon to be 'The Coventry Automatics', broke onto the emerging Ska scene in the West Midlands. In 1978, Terry Hall and Roddy Radiation joined the line-up. Name changes continued with 'The Special AKA The Coventry Automatics' and then 'The Special AKA'. It was when named the latter that Joe Strummer of 'The Clash' came across the band and offered them a chance to support them on the 'On Parole' UK Tour. For a short time 'The Special AKA' shared 'The Clash's' management, before Jerry Dammers decided to setup his own label '2 Tone' records in 1979.

Released jointly with 'The Selecter' (also a ska band from Coventry) 'The Special AKA' released the single 'Gangsters' which became an instant top 10 hit in the UK. Soon after the band netted their first UK #1 with 'Too Much Too Young'and their third top ten hit. Having decided on the moniker 'The Specials' the album 'Specials' was released in November 1979. Produced by Elvis Costello, the allbum was unashamedly a tribute to the Ska movement of the 60's, but with an upbeat 2 Tone twist. Influenced by Prince Buster, Dandy Livingstone and Toots and the Maytals - 'Specials' was a commercial success and reached a high of #4 in the UK album charts. Due to the unique arrangement where bands signed to '2 Tone' could leave the label after one single release - a number of seminal artists of the time had gone through the books. Artists included 'The Selecter', 'The Beat', 'Madness', 'Elvis Costello & The Attractions' and 'Bad Manners'.

By the 1980 release of 'More Specials', cracks were beginning to show within the band. The musical style had moved towards an experimental reggae sound, which didn't have the commercial appeal of the purer Ska feel of the previous album. An eclectic mix of new wave, reggae and jazz failed to match the success of 'Specials' and lost the band many of their hardcore Ska followers. However, the 1981 release of the non-LP track 'Ghost Town' was proof that all was not lost. The revertion back to the purer Ska sound struck a chord and got the band their second #1. Soon after this return to success, Neville Staple, Terry Hall and Lynval Golding left the band to form 'Fun Boy Three' - which was to spell the end of 'The Specials' as many of their fans would know them and their mainstream commercial success dropped significantly. 'The Special AKA' once again became the preferred moniker, and Dammers continued to change line-ups and pursue political activism through his music during the rest of the 80's. Despite being firmly out of the spotlight in recent years, Dammers's contribution to the Ska/2 Tone movement of the late 70s and early 80's is still greatly remembered. Modern artists such as Lily Allen, Amy Winehouse and 'The Enemy' all cite 'The Specials' as being highly influential on their music.

In Football Casual terms, Ska and 2 Tone was a popular form of music of the late 70's and early 80's. Bands such 'The Beat', 'The Selecter', 'Madness' and 'Bad Manners', all played their part in helping create an era which worked perfectly alongside the musical and fashion tastes of the Football Casual. However, I would argue that it was 'The Specials' who really drove the whole movement forward and gave it the musical credibility it deserved.

ICONIC TRACKS: 'Gangsters', 'A Message To You Rudy' & 'Too Much Too Young'
RECCOMENDED ALBUM: 'The Specials' (1979)