Quiet Confidence, Then Tears - But 'unsinkable' Coventry Are Back

Kim McQueen perfectly encapsulates nan feelings of astir Coventry fans that time successful 2001.

"I was excited going successful and successful tears leaving," she said. "I don't deliberation there's immoderate shame successful loving your nine that overmuch that it leaves you successful tears erstwhile you spell down.

Like Graeme and Rick, Kim ne'er anticipated what would hap to her nine successful nan 25 years that followed.

"I deliberation being unsinkable, external took connected a full caller meaning," she said.

After spending 11 years successful nan Championship, Coventry were relegated to League One earlier falling into administration successful 2013.

Two constituent deductions followed, location games were temporarily played astatine Northampton Town and supporters protested against owners Sisu and Coventry City Council arsenic they dropped into League Two.

Coventry midfielder Josh Eccles, 26, joined his boyhood nine arsenic a seven-year-old.

"I've seen nan worst of this nine connected nan day-to-day," he told BBC Sport. "We had a batch of surgery things and it conscionable wasn't a very bully ambiance aliases situation astatine nan training crushed and truthful on.

"There weren't galore shirts astir nan municipality aliases a batch to celebrate. Then Mark Robins came successful and he brought nan power and nan fans backmost into nan club."

Robins had first managed Coventry successful 2012-13. He returned successful March 2017 and though he could not prevention them from relegation to League Two, he did lead them to promotion astatine nan first attempt.

By then, location games were being played astatine Birmingham City, and it was location they were crowned League One champions successful 2020.

Their purpose successful that first play backmost successful nan Championship was "just to enactment up" according to erstwhile striker Matt Godden, but since achieving that "the nine has kept going from there".

"They are a immense shot club," said Godden, who now plays for Charlton.

Coventry person been adjacent to returning to nan Premier League successful caller years.

They were beaten by Luton Town connected penalties successful nan 2023 play-off last and, aft Robins was sacked successful November 2024 pursuing a mediocre tally of results, Frank Lampard picked up nan baton.

The erstwhile England midfielder guided Coventry to nan play-off semi-finals past season, but that heartbreak was eclipsed erstwhile they were crowned champions pinch 2 games to spare.

"Pound-for-pound we person overachieved this season," said Graeme, who praised proprietor Doug King for "changing nan consciousness of nan club" since he bought retired Sisu successful 2023.

"I'm excited to return to wherever we belong," said Kim. "It intends truthful overmuch because we person been done truthful much. This time, it's tears of joy."