Coventry City F.C. facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Coventry City

Full name	Coventry City Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Sky Blues
Founded	13 August 1883; 141 years ago (1883-08-13) (as Singers F.C.)
Ground	Coventry Building Society Arena
Ground Capacity	32,609
Owner	Doug King
Chairman	Doug King
Manager	Frank Lampard
League	League One
2018–19	League One, 8th of 24
Home colours Away colours Third colours

Coventry City Football Club is a professional football team from Coventry, England. They are often called The Sky Blues because of their famous sky blue uniforms. The club plays in the EFL Championship, which is the second highest league in English football.

Coventry City started in 1883 as Singers F.C., named after the Singer Cycle Company. They changed their name to Coventry City in 1898. The club joined the Football League in 1919. Over the years, they moved up and down different leagues. A big moment came in the 1960s under manager Jimmy Hill, when they reached the top division for the first time.

The team stayed in the top division for 34 years, from 1967 to 2001. They were even part of the first Premier League season in 1992. Coventry City's biggest win was the FA Cup in 1987, where they beat Tottenham Hotspur 3–2 in a thrilling final. This is their only major trophy. More recently, they won the EFL Trophy in 2017 and were promoted back to the Championship in 2020. In 2023, they almost reached the Premier League again but lost in the play-off final.

For a long time, Coventry City played at Highfield Road stadium. In 2005, they moved to the Coventry Building Society Arena. However, the club has faced challenges with their stadium, sometimes having to play their home games in other cities due to disagreements.

Club History

How it All Started (1883–1919)

Chart showing Coventry City's league positions over the years.

Coventry City began in 1883 as Singers F.C. It was formed by people from the Singer Cycle Company. In their early years, they played at Dowells Field and later at Stoke Road Ground. They became a professional team in 1892.

The club changed its name to Coventry City in 1898. In 1899, they moved to their famous Highfield Road stadium. The club joined the Southern League in 1908. A big achievement was reaching the FA Cup quarter-finals in 1910.

Joining the Football League (1919–1945)

In 1919, Coventry City joined the Football League, playing in the Second Division. They faced some tough times, including financial problems and being relegated. In 1928, they had their lowest ever attendance at a game.

Things started to get better in the 1930s with manager Harry Storer. The team became known as "The Old Five" because they often scored five or more goals in games. In the 1931–32 season, Clarrie Bourton scored 49 goals, which was a league record. Coventry City won the Third Division South title in 1936, moving up to the Second Division. World War II stopped league football in 1939, and the club's stadium was damaged during the Coventry Blitz.

Reaching the Top and Winning the FA Cup (1945–1987)

After the war, Coventry City struggled for a while and were relegated again. But in 1958, Derrick Robins became chairman, and in 1961, Jimmy Hill became manager. This started the "Sky Blue revolution." Hill changed the team's colours to sky blue, created the famous Sky Blue Song, and brought new excitement to the club.

Under Hill, Coventry City won the Third Division in 1964 and the Second Division in 1967. This meant they reached the top division of English football for the first time! In 1970, they finished sixth in the First Division, their highest ever position. This earned them a spot in the European Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.

In 1987, Coventry City had their most famous moment. They won the FA Cup, beating Tottenham Hotspur 3–2 in an amazing final at Wembley Stadium. This was the club's first and only major trophy.

Recent Times (1987–Present)

After their FA Cup win, Coventry City continued to play in the top division. They were one of the founding teams of the Premier League in 1992. However, financial issues led to them selling key players. In 2001, they were relegated from the Premier League after 34 years.

The club faced more challenges, including being relegated to League One and League Two. They also had problems with their new stadium, the Coventry Building Society Arena, which opened in 2005. This led to them playing home games in other cities for a while.

Despite these difficulties, Coventry City won the EFL Trophy in 2017. They were promoted back to League One in 2018 and then won the League One title in 2020, returning to the Championship. In the 2022–23 season, they reached the Championship play-off final but lost on penalties. In 2024, Frank Lampard became the new manager.

Team Kit

Colours and Designs

Coventry City's home kit is usually sky blue. However, they have worn other colours in the past. In 1889, as Singers FC, they wore pink and blue shirts. In the 1890s, their colours were black and red. In the 1920s, they wore red and green, matching the city's crest.

Sky blue first appeared in 1898 but was brought back permanently in 1962 by manager Jimmy Hill. To celebrate their 125th year in 2009, Coventry wore a special brown shirt. In 2012 and 2013, they wore a blue and white striped kit to mark 25 years since their FA Cup win. In 2019, a black and white kit was released to honour the city's connection to 2 Tone Records.

Kit Makers and Sponsors

Since the 2019–20 season, Hummel has made Coventry City's kits. The main sponsor on the front of the shirt is Monzo, and King of Shaves is on the back.

Coventry City was one of the first clubs to have a kit sponsorship deal. In 1980, chairman Jimmy Hill arranged a deal with Talbot, a car company based in Coventry.

Home Stadiums

Highfield Road: The Old Home

Highfield Road was Coventry City's home from 1899 to 2005.

Coventry City played at Highfield Road from 1899 to 2005. It was built on land previously used by a cricket club. The first game there was a 1–0 win against Stoke City.

Over the years, the stadium was improved with new stands and floodlights. During World War II, it was damaged by bombs in the Coventry Blitz. In 1981, it became England's first all-seater stadium, meaning every fan had a seat. However, this was not popular with all supporters, and some standing areas were brought back later. Highfield Road hosted its last game in 2005 and was then taken down to build new homes.

Coventry Building Society Arena: The New Home

The Coventry Building Society Arena, the club's current home.

In 2005, Coventry City moved to a new stadium, now called the Coventry Building Society Arena. It was first known as the Ricoh Arena due to a sponsorship deal. This modern stadium also has an exhibition hall, a hotel, and a casino.

The club has faced challenges with the stadium's ownership and rent. This led to them playing their home games at other stadiums, like Sixfields Stadium in Northampton (2013–2014) and St Andrew's in Birmingham (2019–2021). Fans often protested these moves. In 2021, they returned to the Coventry Building Society Arena, and a new agreement was reached in 2022 for them to continue playing there.

Supporters

The Sky Blue Army

Coventry City fans are known as The Sky Blue Army. In Coventry and Warwickshire, people say "Going Up The City" when they are going to watch a match.

The number of fans attending games changed a lot during a period when the club had ownership problems. When the team had to play in Northampton in 2013–14, the average attendance dropped significantly.

The Sky Blue Song

The club's famous song was written in 1962 by manager Jimmy Hill and director John Camkin. It uses the tune of the "Eton Boating Song." The words were printed in the match programme and quickly became popular.

Here are the original and current words:

Famous Fans

Many famous people support Coventry City. These include TV broadcasters Richard Keys and Jon Gaunt. Formula 1 team principals Christian Horner and Ayao Komatsu are also fans.

Comedian Josh Pugh and musicians like Neville Staple from The Specials and Tom Grennan also support the Sky Blues. Actor Graeme Hawley from Coronation Street is a season ticket holder. Even actor Frankie Muniz from Malcolm in the Middle is said to be a fan!

Rival Teams

Coventry's main rival is Aston Villa. Historically, they played against each other often in the top leagues. Another important rivalry is with Leicester City, known as the M69 Derby. These games are always exciting.

There's also a unique long-distance rivalry with Sunderland. This started in 1977 when a controversial match result between Coventry and Bristol City meant Sunderland was relegated. Some Sunderland fans still hold a grudge about this. More recently, games between Coventry and Sunderland have been very competitive.

Team Players

First-Team Squad

No. Position Player 1 GK Oliver Dovin 2 DF Luis Binks 3 DF Jay Dasilva 4 DF Bobby Thomas 5 MF Jack Rudoni 6 MF Matt Grimes 7 MF Tatsuhiro Sakamoto 8 MF Jamie Allen 9 FW Ellis Simms 10 FW Ephron Mason-Clark 11 FW Haji Wright 13 GK Ben Wilson 14 MF Ben Sheaf (captain) 15 DF Liam Kitching

No. Position Player 17 FW Raphael Borges Rodrigues 20 DF Kaine Kesler-Hayden 21 DF Jake Bidwell 22 DF Joel Latibeaudiere 23 FW Brandon Thomas-Asante 27 DF Milan van Ewijk 28 MF Josh Eccles 29 MF Victor Torp 33 DF Miguel Ángel Brau 37 FW Norman Bassette 40 GK Bradley Collins 48 GK Luke Bell 49 FW Justin Obikwu 54 MF Kai Andrews

Notable Players in History

Many great players have worn the Sky Blue shirt. Here are some of the most famous ones who are part of the club's Hall of Fame:

Player Apps Goals Dave Bennett 201 33 Brian Borrows 477 13 Clarrie Bourton 241 182 Willie Carr 280 36 Mick Coop 492 22 George Curtis 538 13 Jimmy Dougall 236 14 Dion Dublin 170 72

Player Apps Goals Ron Farmer 311 52 Mick Ferguson 141 57 Ian Gibson 101 14 Bill Glazier 395 0 Fred Herbert 199 85 George Hudson 129 75 Ernie Hunt 166 51 Tommy Hutchison 355 30

Player Apps Goals Mick Kearns 382 16 Leslie Jones 145 73 Jock Lauderdale 182 63 George Lowrie 85 59 Ernie Machin 289 39 George Mason 350 9 Reg Matthews 116 0 Steve Ogrizovic 601 1

Player Apps Goals Trevor Peake 336 7 Ronnie Rees 262 52 Cyrille Regis 283 62 Richard Shaw 362 1 Danny Thomas 123 6 Ian Wallace 138 60 Alf Wood 246 0

Academy Graduates Who Made It Big

Coventry City's youth academy has produced many talented players who went on to have successful careers. Some even played for their national teams!

Player	Achievements
James Maddison	Plays for England, was part of the 2022 World Cup squad.
Callum Wilson	Plays for England, was part of the 2022 World Cup squad.
Daniel Sturridge	Played for England, won the UEFA Champions League in 2012.
Chris Kirkland	Played for England, won the UEFA Champions League in 2005.
Cyrus Christie	Played for Republic of Ireland.
Gary McSheffrey	Played over 250 games for Coventry.
Jordan Willis	Won the EFL Trophy and League Two play-offs with Coventry.

Player Records

Here are some interesting records held by Coventry City players:

Record	Details
Most games played (all competitions)	Steve Ogrizovic, 601 games (1984–2000)
All-time top scorer (all competitions)	Clarrie Bourton, 182 goals (1931–1937)
Most goals in one game	Arthur Bacon, 5 goals (1933) Clarrie Bourton, 5 goals (1931) Cyrille Regis, 5 goals (1985)
Most goals in one season	Clarrie Bourton, 50 goals (1931–1932)
Youngest player to play in a first-team match	Jonson Clarke-Harris, 16 years 21 days (2010)

Club Management

Jimmy Hill (left) was manager from 1961–1967, and chairman from 1980–1983.

Ron Atkinson was manager from 1995–1996.

Gordon Strachan was manager from 1996–2001.

Gary McAllister was manager from 2002–2003.

Chris Coleman was manager from 2008–2010.

Tim Fisher was chairman from 2014–2023.

Tony Mowbray was manager from 2015–2016.

Mark Robins (left) was manager from 2012–2013 and 2017–2024.

Frank Lampard became manager in 2024.

The club has had many managers and chairmen throughout its history. Here are some of the key people who have led Coventry City:

      Permanent manager

Dates	Chairman	Dates	Manager(s)
1883–1907	Unknown	1883–1885	William Stanley
		1885–1887	Harry Hathaway
		1887–1892	J.G. Morgan
		1893	Teddy Kirk
		1893	George Maley
		1893–1895	Joe Collins
		1895–1900	Tom Cashmore
		1900–1902	Ben Newhall
		1902–1905	Michael O'Shea
		1905–1907	Joe Beaman
1907–1912	Thomas Owen	1907–1908
		1908–1909	Walter Harris
		1909–1910	Harry Buckle
		1910–1912	Robert Wallace & committee
1912–1928	David Cooke	1912–1913
		1913–1915	Frank Scott-Walford & committee
		1915–1917	H. Howard & committee (caretaker)
		1917–1919	William Clayton
		1919–1920	Harry Pollitt
		1920–1924	Albert Evans
		1924–1925	Harry Harbourne (caretaker)
		1925–1928	James Kerr
1928–1935	Walter Brandish	1928	Vacant
		1928–1931	Jimmy McIntyre
		1931	Bill Slade (caretaker)
		1931–1935	Harry Storer
1935–1946	Fred Stringer	1935–1945
		1945–1946	Dick Bayliss
1946–1954	George Jones	1946–1947
		1947	Vacant
		1947–1948	Billy Frith
		1948–1953	Harry Storer (2)
		1953–1954	Vacant
1954–1958	W Erle Shanks	1954	Jack Fairbrother
		1954–1955	Charlie Elliott (caretaker)
		1955	Jesse Carver
		1956	George Raynor
		1956–1957	Harry Warren
		1957–1958	Billy Frith (2)
1958–1960	Walter Brandish Jr.	1958–1960
1960–1973	Derrick Robins	1960–1961
		1961–1967	Jimmy Hill
		1967–1972	Noel Cantwell
		1972	Bob Dennison (caretaker)
		1972–1973	Joe Mercer
1973–1975	Peter Robins	1973–1974
		1974–1975	Gordon Milne
1975–1977	Jack Scamp	1975–1977
1977–1980	Phil Mead	1977–1980
1980–1983	Jimmy Hill	1980–1981
		1981–1983	Dave Sexton
1983–1984	Iain Jamieson	1983
		1983–1984	Bobby Gould
1984–1990	John Poynton	1984
		1984–1986	Don Mackay
		1986–1987	John Sillett George Curtis
		1987–1990	John Sillett
		1990	Terry Butcher
1990–1993	Peter Robins (2)	1990–1992
		1992	Don Howe (caretaker)
		1992–1993	Bobby Gould (2)
1993	John Clarke	1993
1993–2002	Bryan Richardson	1993
		1993–1995	Phil Neal
		1995–1996	Ron Atkinson
		1996–2001	Gordon Strachan
		2001–2002	Roland Nilsson
2002–2005	Mike McGinnity	2002
		2002	Steve Ogrizovic (caretaker) Trevor Peake (caretaker)
		2002–2003	Gary McAllister
		2003–2004	Eric Black
		2004	Steve Ogrizovic (2) (caretaker)
		2004–2005	Peter Reid
		2005	Adrian Heath (caretaker)
		2005	Micky Adams
2005–2007	Geoffrey Robinson	2005–2007
		2007	Adrian Heath (2) (caretaker)
		2007	Iain Dowie
2007	Joe Elliott	2007
2007–2011	Ray Ranson	2007–2008
		2008	Frankie Bunn (caretaker) John Harbin (caretaker)
		2008–2010	Chris Coleman
		2010	Steve Harrison (caretaker)
		2010–2011	Aidy Boothroyd
2011	Ken Dulieu	2011
		2011	Steve Harrison (2) (caretaker) Andy Thorn (caretaker)
		2011	Andy Thorn
2011–2012	John Clarke (2)	2011–2012
2012–2014	Vacant	2012
		2012	Richard Shaw (caretaker) Lee Carsley (caretaker)
		2012–2013	Mark Robins
		2013	Lee Carsley (2) (caretaker)
		2013–2014	Steven Pressley
2014–2023	Tim Fisher	2014–2015
		2015	Neil MacFarlane (caretaker) Dave Hockaday (caretaker)
		2015–2016	Tony Mowbray
		2016	Mark Venus (caretaker)
		2016–2017	Russell Slade
		2017–2023	Mark Robins (2)
2023–	Doug King	2023–2024
		2024	Rhys Carr (caretaker)
		2024–	Frank Lampard

Club Achievements

Coventry City has won several important trophies and titles throughout its history:

League Titles

• Second Division (Level 2)
  • Champions: 1966–67
• Third Division South / Third Division / League One (Level 3)
  • Champions: 1935–36, 1963–64, 2019–20
• Fourth Division / League Two (Level 4)
  • Play-off winners: 2018

Cup Wins

• FA Cup
  • Winners: 1986–87
• EFL Trophy
  • Winners: 2016–17
• Third Division South Cup
  • Winners: 1935–36
• Birmingham Senior Cup
  • Winners: 1910–11, 1922–23, 2006–07
• Southern Professional Floodlit Cup
  • Winners: 1959–60

See also

In Spanish: Coventry City Football Club para niños