ARSENAL 3-0 COVENTRY POST-MATCH CRAZY REACTION | IAN WRIGHT, SAKA & ØDEGAARD

 

FULL MIKEL ARTETA INTERVIEW VS. COVENTRY

 

ARSENAL START WITH A WIN AGAINST NEWBIES COVENTRY

 

FIRST PREMIER LEAGUE STANDINGS OF 2026-27 SEASON | THE KICK OFF

 

ROUND 2 | BRITISH CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS 2026 | COVENTRY

 

ROUND 1 | BRITISH CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS 2026 | COVENTRY

 

FULL POST MATCH ANALYSIS FROM COVENTRY PROMOTION TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE

COVENTRY CLINCH PROMOTION TO END 25-YEAR PREMIER LEAGUE EXILE

Coventry secured promotion to the Premier League on Friday as the Championship leaders' 1-1 draw against Blackburn ended their 25-year exile from the top-flight.

Coventry promoted to Premier League© X (Formerly Twitter)

Coventry secured promotion to the Premier League on Friday as the Championship leaders' 1-1 draw against Blackburn ended their 25-year exile from the top-flight. Frank Lampard's side needed a point from their trip to Ewood Park to be certain of automatic promotion. They did it the hard way, trailing to Ryoya Morishita's deflected 54th-minute strike before Bobby Thomas headed the priceless equaliser in the 84th minute. Having led the Championship table for much of the season, the Sky Blues have wrapped up their return to English football's elite with three games to spare.

"It was an incredible moment. This is what it's about," a tearful Lampard said in an emotional post-match interview.

"Coming here and getting a point at this stage isn't easy. We had to see it out and we didn't know whether to attack again.

"Doing this after 25 years? Wow! Wow!"

Backed by 7,500 raucous fans crammed into the Darwen End, Coventry were below their best for long periods of a nervous display.

But their performance will quickly be forgotten, replaced by life-long memories of the promotion party that followed Thomas' glancing header from Victor Torp's free-kick.

Supporters wept tears of joy when the final whistle announced their ascent to the Premier League.

"Amazing, amazing. I couldn't believe it when it went in," Thomas said. "It's been a hell of a season. I feel like we deserve it."

Now Lampard's men can set their sights on winning the Championship title, with second-placed Ipswich 11 points behind with five matches to play.

"This is a serious, serious football club. I grew up with them as a top flight club but I didn't realise," Lampard said.

"To go and get promotion automatically as a non-parachute team with three games to go. These boys have managed to achieve something special and unique."

Fittingly, Coventry's previous promotion to the top-flight in 1967 was also sealed at Blackburn when Rovers drew with Bolton.

That was the start of a 34-year spell in the top tier before relegation in 2001 sparked a steep decline.

Coventry plunged into the fourth tier for one season in 2017-18 and were even forced to play their home games in Northampton and Birmingham for three seasons due to a bitter legal battle between the club and their stadium's owners.

The 1987 FA Cup winners' rise back to prominence was initially piloted by Mark Robins, whose second spell in charge brought promotion from League Two and League One.

Losing the 2023 Championship play-off final against Luton stalled Coventry's momentum and eventually led to Robins' dismissal in 2024.

Hiring former England star Lampard as Robins' replacement proved an inspired move as he revived his career following sackings by Chelsea and Everton.

Lampard led Coventry away from the relegation zone in his first season before losing to Sunderland in the play-off semi-finals.

Fuelled by the pain of that near-miss, Coventry embarked on a relentless march to promotion.

A 7-1 demolition of QPR and a 5-3 win at Lampard's former club Derby in August established Coventry as the Championship's dominant force.

Jack Rudoni's assured presence in midfield, complemented by the goals of Haji Wright, Ellis Simms and Brandon Thomas-Asante, kept Coventry top of the pile as the promotion dream came true.

The Sky Blues' success has also reinvigorated the midlands city, according to Coventry's Lord Mayor Rachel Lancaster.

"It's huge for Coventry football club and the fans, but for Coventry itself as a city, this has been massive," she said.

Coventry owner Doug King added: "The fans have been starved of it for a long time and you can feel it.

"Twenty-five years is a huge amount of time. If you don't bounce back you feel like it's never going to happen.

"Getting out of this league is very difficult but we did it. We got the whole city together. I'm super proud of everybody."

- Agence-France Presse

EFL CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

 

CHAMPIONSHIP TABLE | COVENTRY TAKES THE LEAD

 

FURIOUS VIKTOR GYOKERES 'TELLS SPORTING LISBON HE WILL NOT RETURN FOR ORE-SEASON TRAINING' AMID UGLY TRANSFER SAGA AS ARSENAL AND MAN UTD TARGET ISSUES FINAL THREAT

 

Gyokeres' price tag has proven to be a major stumbling block in wrapping up a summer move

• Viktor Gyokeres has reportedly called Sporting's director to demand a transfer

• The 27-year-old striker has been heavily linked with Arsenal and Man United

• LISTEN to Whistleblowers: Are Arsenal fans right to think they've been aggrieved by the fixtures?

Viktor Gyokeres has reportedly called Sporting Lisbon's president Frederico Varandas to demand a move as the Swedish striker looks to force a summer transfer. 

The 27-year-old is one of Europe's most in-demand forwards after netting 54 times in 52 appearances for Sporting last season and has been heavily linked with a move to Arsenal or Manchester United. 

The Swede is believed to prefer a move to Arsenal, who have Champions League football to look forward to next season, instead of reuniting with Ruben Amorim at United.

However, his price-tag has proved to be a major stumbling block for any deal.

It is understood that Gyokeres believes he reached a gentleman's agreement with Sporting last summer that would see the Portuguese side accept accept a fee in the region of €70m (£60m) including add-ons at the end of the season.

But Sporting are now trying to hold out for a significantly higher fee - with Gyokeres having a €100m (£84m) release clause in his contract. 

While Gyokeres has pushed for a move, Varandas accused his team of attempting to 'blackmail' Sporting, while he reportedly threatened to go on strike after vowing to 'speak at the right time'.

The Swedish striker, 27, is said to prefer a move to Arsenal rather than reuniting with Amorim

Now Gyokeres has made his thoughts clear to Varandas in a phone call, where he told him he wants to join Arsenal and should be allowed to after giving everything for the club,' according to Portuguese outlet Record.

The Swede will refuse to return to Lisbon, having appealed to the president to understand the importance of the moment, and will 'never forgive those responsible' if a move to Arsenal breaks down,' the bombshell report claims.

Sporting President Frederico Varandas previously accused him of trying to 'blackmail' the club

The striker is also said to have emphasised a £60m transfer would provide significant profit on the £20m they signed him from Coventry for just two years ago. 

Earlier this month, Varandas claimed that Sporting will not demand £84m for Gyokeres but allowing him to depart for £60m is also off the table as a war of words broke out.

'Sporting will not demand the release clause, but they should know me better by now,' Varandas said. 'Threats, blackmail and insults don't work with me.

'I can guarantee one thing: Viktor Gyokeres will not leave for €60m + €10m. He won't leave because I never allowed it, and the game his agent is playing will only make the situation worse.'

He is one of Europe's most in-demand forwards after netting 54 times in 52 games last season

Varandas has denied a gentleman's agreement was ever in place as the transfer saga continues to turn ugly.

The Swede has scored 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting since joining from Coventry.

As well as Arsenal and United, Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Juventus and Al-Hilal have also been linked with his signature.  

- ADAM POGRUND

BALLARD SENDS BLACK CATS TO WEMBLEY | SUNDERLAND 1-1 COVENTRY CITY | EFL

 

"THEY DIDN'T DESERVE IT" | FRANK LAMPARD ON COVENTRY'S EXIT FROM THE SEMI-FINALS PLAYOFF GAME

 

SUNDERLAND AFC 1-1 COVENTRY CITY | EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS

 

FA CUP FOURTH ROUND | RESULTS

 

COVENTRY 1-2 IPSWICH | CHAMPIONSHIP

 

COVENTRY VS. MANCHESTER UNITED | FA CUP

 

COVENTRY VS. MAIDSTONE UNITED

 

COVENTRY 1-1 LUTON | "WE ARE PREMIER LEAGUE!"

COVENTRY CITY 2-4 NORWICH | CHAMPIONSHIP 2023