The club had shown incredible fighting spirit under a succession of managers including John Sillett, who led them to FA Cup glory in 1987, and Gordon Strachan, who was in charge when they were finally relegated, having finished in the top half in just eight of their 34 consecutive years in the top flight.Unfortunately for Coventry, they continued their habit of finishing in the bottom half when they reached the Championship. A disagreement last summer over the terms of a new contract last summer led to them moving to Birmingham City's St Andrew's, 22 miles away.

It was hoped that moving into a new stadium would galvanise the club, with a decision made to do so by then-chairman Bryan Richardson in 1997. 5:48PM BST 05 May 2001.

Amid all the outrage and bluster this week as Leagues One and Two curtailed their seasons, Coventry City were leading the celebrations.Back in the Championship after an eight-season hiatus, which included a campaign in the fourth tier for the first time since 1958-59, the Sky Blues have every right to be delighted with themselves.While the protestations of Peterborough United, one point outside the play-offs with 11 matches to spare, and Tranmere, relegated three points from safety with a game in hand, are understandable, no one can deny that Coventry deserve to go up.Their lead wasn't quite Liverpool standards, but an eight-point gap to the chasing pack having lost just three matches all season is more than enough to suggest that they would have been promoted automatically had the coronavirus pandemic not struck.To understand Coventry's recent history though, you have to go further back, for theirs is a story of two decades of decline - played out at four different homes - and a reminder of the perils of relegation from the Premier League.When Coventry were relegated from the Premier League in 2001, it ended a remarkable 34-year stay in the top flight - a run only bettered at the time by Liverpool, Arsenal and Everton. Coventry's promotion bid - under a certain Mark Robins - was scuppered by the 10-point deduction in 2012-13 and they announced they would be moving out of the Ricoh Arena and temporarily into Northampton's Sixfields stadium. When Coventry were relegated from the Premier League in 2001, it ended a remarkable 34-year stay in the top flight - a run only bettered at the time by Liverpool, Arsenal and Everton. Click here to resize this module Coventry City were relegated to the fourth tier of English football for the first time in 59 years after drawing at home to fellow strugglers Charlton. A painful experience for someone who has only known success from his days with Aberdeen, Manchester United and Leeds.The repercussions are likely to be widespread and Coventry chairman Bryan Richardson, who was up mowing his lawn again at 7am this morning, has warned relegation will cost the club £15million in lost revenue.Coventry's £16million wage bill will have to be trimmed and Richardson has already hinted that one or both of Magnus Hedman and Chris Kirkland could be sold.Malcolm Christie's first half effort, a glorious goal from 25 yards, gave the Rams the points in a 1-0 victory. ACL and Sisu finally agreed a deal for Coventry to move back into the Ricoh at the start of the 2014-15 season, shortly after which the stadium was bought by Premiership rugby club Wasps, who they had been renting off since - until this season.
During the 2001–02 English football season, Coventry City F.C. Jordan Shipley and Sam McCallum are the leading home-grown products in the current squad, though the latter, a left back, was signed by Norwich in January and loaned back to Coventry.Coventry are still a long way from the halcyon days of their 1987 FA Cup final win and the popular 1990s Premier League side featuring Dion Dublin and Darren Huckerby, but this is a moment for them to bask in. Down and out: Gordon Strachan leaves the field after Coventry's fateful loss to Aston Villa .
The initial plans were for a 45,000-seater stadium that would help host the 2006 World Cup, but the end result was a 32,000-seater stadium, no World Cup - and the club didn't even own the Ricoh Arena by its opening in 2005. Die-hard Sky Blues supporter, John Mullaney, held aloft a … This led to Sisu placing the club into administration after ACL had threatened to do so. Angry Coventry fans vented their fury on under-fire Strachan and the club's board of directors as they were … With Sisu still in charge and no place to call home, they deserve to savour it. Coventry played out the 2013-14 League One season 36 miles away in Northampton, and survived relegation despite a further 10-point penalty attached to their administration earlier that year. Coventry City celebrating beating Ipswich Town 1-0 in their last League One match in March(L-R) John Salako Darren Huckerby and Dion Dublin celebrate a goal during Coventry's Premier League heydayRichard Shaw consoles Paul Williams after the Sky Blues are relegated in 2001Coventry City captain Brian Kilcline lifts the FA Cup after beating Spurs at Wembley in 1987Coventry face Preston in League One at their temporary home in Northampton in 2013Coventry fans protest against Sisu's ownership during a League One match in 2016Former Manchester United striker Mark Robins is in his second spell as manager of Coventry By Joe Ridge for MailOnline Robins, who played 71 times under Sir Alex Ferguson after coming through Manchester United's academy, had become a fans' favourite in 2012-13 when he led Coventry to the Football League Trophy final, beat Arsenal in the League Cup and sustained a promotion challenge before being poached by Huddersfield in February 2013 with Sisu in the midst of their battle with ACL.