Coventry City return to Premier League after 25 years | OneFootball

Coventry City are back in the Premier League for the first time in 25 years. 

The Sky Blues sealed promotion to the English top-flight with a 1-1 draw at Blackburn Rovers on Friday night. 

A delighted Frank Lampard described his side’s promotion as a ‘unique’ achievement. 

He told Sky Sports: “To go and get promotion automatically as a non-parachute [payment] team with three games to go… these boys have managed to achieve something special and unique.”

Coventry were not at their free-flowing best in the opening half of the Ewood Park encounter and produced almost no attacking threat. 

It was no surprise when Blackburn broke the deadlock on 54 minutes through Ryoya Morishita, who fired home Alebiosu’s deflected cross. 

The visitors responded well to the setback as they put the opposition under some sustained pressure. 

They finally got their reward in the 84th minute when Bobby Thomas nodded home from close range. 

The stalemate leaves them 13 points ahead of third-placed Millwall, who can no longer catch them. 

It has been a long road back to the top-flight for Coventry, who were relegated to League Two in 2017. 

Their fortunes turned for the better under Mark Robins, who led them to promotion from League Two and League One. 

The English boss came agonisingly close to securing Premier League promotion in 2023 when the Sky Blues lost a penalty shootout to Luton Town in the Championship play-off final. 

However, Coventry have now achieved the feat with Lampard, who has completely transformed the club since taking over as manager in November 2024.  

Lampard has implemented a high-energy pressing system that has turned them into a relentless winning machine.