Championship title winners with room to spare, Coventry City are back in the Premier League after a quarter of a century away.
Frank Lampard's leadership attracted the spotlight, as the former England midfielder steered his team through an immediate response to defeat in the 2024-25 play-offs.
While his first full season at the helm wasn't always plain sailing, the good ship Cov was never in choppy waters for long. Coventry are a club on a high, with a full stadium that feels like home – because it finally is.
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Even so, they will have to be a different outfit this season. The team that took them into the top flight didn't have the depth of quality needed to keep them there.
Loath as many City fans would be to acknowledge it, Sunderland showed the way to a world beyond a relegation battle, but there's no debate over Lampard's first target in 2026-27.
That isn't the same as a dearth of long-term ambition. It's been a long 25 years for the supporters, who experienced exile (when Coventry had to play their home games in Northampton and Birmingham) and were watching the club in League Two less than a decade ago.
A lot of credit goes to Lampard's predecessor, Mark Robins, for a revival that's been a long road for those who walked it. The Sky Blues have work to do. But after everything they've been through, they'll attack it with the grit and humour that rebuilt a city.
The Coach
Replacing Robins with Frank Lampard in November 2024 stunned Cov fans and outsiders alike, but chairman Doug King never wavered. By knuckling down and ultimately winning promotion, Lampard has forged an unlikely but formidable bond with the Sky Blues support.
Key Player
At 25, Jack Rudoni has the star quality and age profile to grow into the Premier League, even if he wasn't at the forefront of last term's team effort, which had several top performers. The Lampard-esque attacking midfielder has the ability, focus and drive to shine at this level.
Last Season's Results
CHAMPIONSHIP: Winners
FA CUP: Third Round
LEAGUE CUP: Second Round
Top Scorer
Haji Wright bagged 18 in all competitions for Coventry City last season, en-route to their Championship victory.
Lessons From Last Year
Remember that form is temporary, class is permanent. Coventry were dominant champions in the end but wobbled in the middle of the season.
Just as they dropped off the top of the Championship table, though, they hauled themselves up and clear again.
That resilient inner confidence could be the difference between getting a handle on the Premier League and struggling to get to grips with it.
Most Likely To...
Have their manager linked with every vacant position. This will be Lampard's fourth spell managing in the Premier League, but the way he confidently took the Sky Blues into it has made clubs take note. Don't be surprised if he decides to stay put this time.
Least Likely To...
Lose their identity. Over a number of years, Coventry fought their way into the Premier League with the help of a steely unity, on and off the pitch. The day they give that up is the day there isn't a blast of The Enemy's We'll Live and Die in These Towns before a home match.
View From The Stands
Words by: LAURENCE KILPATRICK @Thelonelyseason
Last season was pretty weird. The way we took apart the league up until November was mesmeric. Without overhauling the squad, Frank Lampard finished the work Mark Robins started, but with an insouciant swagger.
This season will be different because every crumb of non-defeat must be savoured. Will the fans who abruptly rediscovered their interest in the club still show up when we've got eight points in January and Sean Dyche is in charge?
Our key player will be Jack Rudoni. He's worked his way up the leagues and could now be the difference between 18th and 17th. Glamorous.
The active player I'd love to have back is Sheffield United's Gustavo Hamer. He's a throwback of a maverick, who piles on the pounds until the real business returns. I would welcome him back with open arms, if they could reach that far around him.
Fans think our owner is at the end of his redemption arc.
Our biggest grudge match will be against Aston Villa. We haven't played them since they sent us down in 2001. We hate them; they probably don't remember us.
The ground I'm least looking forward to visiting is one of the silly tiny ones, like Ipswich or Bournemouth, where it's impossible to get a ticket.
The fans' opinion of the gaffer is that he's a great PR man – and, crucially, not a stubborn ideologue.
We'll finish 7th. If a pub side like Sunderland can…
Fixtures
AUGUST
21 Arsenal (A)
29 Hull City (H)
SEPTEMBER
5 Man City (A)
12 Brighton (H)
19 Nott'm Forest (A)
OCTOBER
10 Newcastle (H)
17 Tottenham (A)
24 Fulham (H)
31 Sunderland (H)
NOVEMBER
7 Everton (A)
21 Crystal Palace (H)
28 Leeds (A)
DECEMBER
2 Ipswich (H)
5 Man United (A)
12 Aston Villa (H)
19 Bournemouth (A)
26 Chelsea (H)
30 Brentford (H)
JANUARY
2 Liverpool (A)
6 Ipswich (A)
16 Everton (H)
23 Sunderland (A)
30 Leeds (H)
FEBRUARY
6 Crystal Palace (A)
10 Liverpool (H)
20 Brentford (A)
27 Bournemouth (H)
MARCH
3 Chelsea (A)
13 Man City (H)
20 Brighton (A)
APRIL
10 Arsenal (H)
17 Hull City (A)
24 Aston Villa (A)
MAY
1 Man United (H)
8 Newcastle (A)
15 Tottenham (H)
23 Fulham (A)
30 Nott'm Forest (H)
Title Odds
Coventry City to win the Premier League title odds: 500/1
FFT Verdict
FourFourTwo verdict: Coventry City to finish 16th.
Tactically flexible and able to score in myriad ways, from set pieces to five players hitting double figures last term, Cov are well equipped to stay up – or better, if they can sign or replace loan ace Carl Rushworth.
This feature was written in June as part of FourFourTwo magazine's legendary Season Preview issue which can be ordered here.
