Coventry secured a return to the Premier League for the first time in 25 years after a 1-1 draw with Blackburn.
The promotion party looked to be late when Ryoya Morishita put Blackburn ahead early in the second half at Ewood Park.
However, Bobby Thomas got up late and headed the free kick to score the point he needed to get it over the line.
Now, after three relegations, 15 different permanent managers (including Mark Robins twice) and four different grounds, Coventry are back on the big stage.
How Coventry fought back against Seals promotion
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Bobby Thomas scores the equalizer against Blackburn Rovers to give Coventry a point and seal their return to the Premier League for the first time in 25 years.
Coventry had the upper hand in the early stages, but Rovers opened the scoring in the 13th minute when Ryan Alebios’ excellent cross led to a charging Yuki Ohashi from six yards out, but his header should have hit Carl Rushworth.
The Sky Blues were neutralized by the disciplined hosts, but in the 27th minute a deft pass from Efron Mason-Clarke freed Jack Rudoni, who deftly evaded two tackles and fired into the side netting.
Rovers took the lead in the 54th minute, but things were awkward for Coventry as Alebios was allowed to cut inside and Frank Onyeka could only deflect a pass to Morishita. Morishita positioned himself well and chased home from 8 yards through a deflection from Thomas.
But the Sky Blues got the goal they needed and Thomas will go down in Coventry history for rising highest to meet Victor Torp’s free-kick and scoring a powerful header over the toss to send his side into the Premier League.
Lampard is emotional after being promoted.
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In his post-match interview, Frank Lampard was impressed with his team’s return to the Premier League.
Coventry manager Frank Lampard told Sky Sports.
“I’m proud. Sometimes all managers talk about their players, but I’m proud and I’m proud of myself and my staff.
“The boys, myself, Chris and Joe came in in a personnel carrier about 15 months ago or something and we went into a bit of a new place, just like you always go into work.
“We were obsessed with the players, their reaction, the fan base and that reaction. So what I might have achieved just doesn’t apply to me. I was lucky to be in a great Chelsea team.”
“Winning the Champions League and winning the league was great, and at times you could thank Didier Drogba and John Terry.
“To do something like this at this club in these circumstances is too much for me. I’m not disrespecting the players. They have raised their level through pure effort and I’m very proud to be their manager.”
The decline and rise of Coventry
Coventry is there. We’re back in the Premier League for the first time in 25 years and a lot has happened since then.
coventry city
“Lampard has rebuilt his reputation and taken the team to the Premier League on his own terms.”
Sky Sports’ Curtis Davies, who played under Lampard at Derby in 2018/19, said:
“I have to give credit to Coventry. After losing in the play-offs last year and leaving the direction of the club uncertain, I wondered if they could repeat what they did under Frank. They have stepped up even further.”
“Last season, the only teams that did better than Frank Lampard’s Coventry were Burnley and Leeds. To continue doing so after a setback in the play-offs shows the mentality he has instilled in the group.”
“My relationship with Frank was a little different. I got injured in Derby so I didn’t really play under him. I was watching training and watching him and Jody (Morris) and what they did.”
“Even if we reach the play-off final and lose to a mighty Aston Villa, he has learned about the championship. He understands that while there is a way he wants to play, sometimes you have to go somewhere else and win the game.”
“He made that experience his own. After going to Chelsea and working in the Premier League and coming back to the Championship, he remembered those fundamentals.
“When he joined Coventry, a team that was struggling after a long period of success under Mark Robins, he knew what the Championship was about and gave it his all. He kept things simple and worked with the coach to gradually implement his style.”
“He said he doesn’t really care about playing No. 3 or No. 4. He’ll play as long as the game allows. It’s refreshing for a modern-day manager, especially one who was an elite player, to say he’ll do whatever it takes to win games.”
“What drives Frank is his initiative. He doesn’t need money, he doesn’t need to be a manager. He wants to succeed.
“Given how he was portrayed after his second spell at Chelsea and his time at Everton, it’s good to see him rebuilding his reputation and taking the team to the Premier League on his own terms.”
“The bass of the waterfall made the ascent feel even sweeter, it was finally our time.”
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Coventry fans look in disbelief as they secure promotion to the Premier League full time.
Matt Quigg, Coventry City fan:
“The last time Coventry City played in the top flight was in 2001, when they were relegated to bitter rivals Aston Villa. Now, for the first time in my life, I will finally be watching my team play in the Premier League.
“Growing up, it wasn’t easy being a Coventry fan. We’d experienced relegation, point deductions and ground sharing at Northampton and Birmingham and myself and all the other fans always wondered why it was us.
“But the cascading bass made the rise feel even sweeter. We deserve this more than others because we’ve been through a lot. Even our last title, when we were top of League One, was ruined by the coronavirus outbreak.”
“I’m proud to support this team. Nothing is ever easy and nothing is normal, but that’s what makes us Coventry City.”
“Sure, successful years bring in a new generation of supporters and we may now regularly have crowds of 30,000 or more, but no one will ever be able to take away from me the fact that I was there during that second league season and supported the team no matter what.
“Over the next few weeks there will be tears, hugs and every emotion imaginable. Things like this don’t happen very often. It’s time to have fun. It’s time to celebrate like there’s no tomorrow.
“Just saying this brings tears to my eyes, my team Coventry City will be joining the Premier League next season after enduring years of pain, drama and tears.
“Finally, our time has come.”
“Lampard has once again proven his doubters wrong.”
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Manager Frank Lampard said it was natural for Coventry players to have a beer after clinching promotion, but they wanted to win the league.
Sky Sports EFL Editor Simeon Gollum:
“Coventry City is Lampard’s fourth club and fifth overall. He has had an incredible amount of success in the past for naysayers, including helping Derby reach the play-offs, leading a transfer-banned Chelsea side to Champions League qualification and keeping Everton in the Premier League.
“However, this recent success with promotion with the Sky Blues will undoubtedly set the limit. He will take over from one of the most popular and successful managers in the club’s history in Mark Robins, who was sacked in November 2024 amid outrage from his heroic fans.
“Lampard’s arrival was not well-received due to the deterioration of his time at Everton, a disastrous second season at Chelsea (albeit as caretaker manager) and more than a year away from the game.
“It was time to prove himself again and he did just that. Last season Lampard led his team from 17th in the table to the play-offs, only to suffer a heartbreaking defeat to Sunderland in the semi-finals, and this year they did even better with automatic promotion.”
I’m also waiting for the title.
