Coventry City are officially promoted to the Premier League, ending a 25-year wait to regain their top-flight status.
From riches to rags, and back to riches again, the Sky Blues came from behind to draw 1-1 at Blackburn Rovers and get the job done.
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Bobby Thomas thumped in a header on 84 minutes to kickstart the wild celebrations from thousands of Coventry fans positioned in the away end at Ewood Park.
Happy tears were accompanied by songs and chants as they began to process what had happened at the full-time whistle.
Speaking post-match, Thomas told Sky Sports: “Amazing, I couldn’t believe it when it went in. It’s been a hell of a season, a project over the last three seasons.
“It was perfect, they packed the away end out and we gave them the point they needed, we all needed.
“It was a cagey affair tonight. We can’t drop our level now. We need to get the points we need to get the title.”
Frank Lampard has been an excellent appointment at Coventry and, with a hint of emotion in his tone, took great pride in their achievement.
“Incredible moment,” he said whilst holding back tears. “We weren’t at our fluid best but the quality of the ball in and the power of the header… We had to see it out and we didn’t know whether to attack.
“This is what it’s about. Coming here and getting a point at this stage isn’t easy. For doing this after 25 years… Wow. Wow.”
Lampard added: “I’m proud of myself and the staff. We came into a bit of an unknown 15 months ago when we arrived in a people carrier.
“We’ve fallen in love and this is right up there with what I have achieved. I’m very proud to be the manager.”
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Journey complete
Coventry last graced the top flight in 2001 at a time where there was no Facebook, X or Instagram and no sign of the horrors that were to follow.
There was also little sign that Lampard, who was in his final year at West Ham before sealing a move to Chelsea, was going to forge the legendary playing career he had.
Fast forward 25 years and ‘Super Frank’ is certainly living up to his name – he has spearheaded their glorious return to the top.
Lampard’s impact was immediately felt after taking over the Sky Blues in November 2024.
Coventry were sat in 17th and in danger of a relegation scrap but 16 wins in 31 games changed the complexion entirely and his side secured an unlikely play-off spot.
They agonisingly missed out on promotion having lost to Sunderland in the play-off semi-final but there was a sense that with a little more patience, something bigger was brewing.
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And barely 18 months after taking over as Coventry boss, Lampard has achieved what most fans would have viewed as the unthinkable just five years ago.
The West Midlands has long been a footballing hotbed awash with sleeping giants, however there appears to be an awakening and it’s Coventry who have now risen from their long period of bedrotting.
A tale of catastrophic proportions
Coventry’s rise back to the Premier League sees them overcome some extremely tough times in recent years.
Their plans to own a new state-of-art arena started off as a dream, which quickly turned into a nightmare.
Plans to move away from their spiritual home at Highfield Road began in 1997 when the then chairman Bryan Richardson communicated his vision of a multipurpose arena that would help generate revenue for the club outside of match days.
But plans turned sour after the club sold Highfield Road in 1999 leading to a 25-year period with no home.
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The Sky Blues leased the ground back from the construction company while waiting for the new stadium to be built but relegation from the Premier League created a disastrous situation.
The club moved into the new Ricoh Arena in 2005 but their financial situation only worsened.
The collapse of ITV Digital further hampered their financial circumstances and the club could no longer afford the stadium.
Bailed out but no end to their woes… until now
Sisu capital came to Coventry’s rescue in 2007 when they acquired the club moments before entering administration.
However, a steep decline ensued with relegation to League One in 2012 before a bitter dispute followed between the stadium company and Sisu over the annual rent the club was paying.
This led to the club playing their games at Northampton’s Sixfields Stadium.
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Coventry returned to the CBS Arena in 2014 however things again turned sour when rugby club Wasps secured a deal to buy the stadium.
Sisu contested the sale in court but it proved unsuccessful. That saw Coventry spend two seasons playing their home games at Birmingham’s St Andrew’s stadium.
After hitting rock bottom by slipping into slipping to League Two in the 2016/17 season, the appointment of Mark Robins as boss appeared to spark the start of new beginnings.
Robins steered the club to the Football League Trophy and built a momentum that saw the Sky Blues return to the Championship as League One champions in 2020.
Coventry made their grand return to the CBS Arena in 2021 when cash-strapped Wasps collapsed which saw Mike Ashley’s Fraser’s Group secure the stadium for £17m.
Robins almost reached the promised land of the Premier League in 2023 when they lost the play-off final to Luton.
He also got them to within touching distance of the FA Cup final, losing on penalties at Wembley in the semi-final to Manchester United.
However, a poor start to the 2024/25 season saw him replaced by Lampard, who has impressed in the role.
And with Coventry now stable under the gaze of chairman Doug King, the horrors of the past are well behind them, with the club now back in the big time.
