The Sky Blues kicked off the new season at the Stadium of Light last Sunday with a hard fought 1-1 draw thanks to a top drawer finish from last season's top scorer Viktor Gyokeres. Following the trend of last season the team conceded first and had to come from behind to get the result.

The game was manager Mark Robins's 300th game in charge of the club and only two men, Harry Storer and Gordon Milne, have managed Coventry City in more games. Storer, a legendary manager who took a virtually bankrupt club from the depths of Division Three South in 1931 to the verge of Division One in 1939 and, like Robins came back for a second spell in the post-war era, took charge in 549 games. Milne, who kept the club's head above perilous relegation waters before producing the most exciting team of the post-war period in 1977, managed for 440 games. It's worth comparing the three manager's win ratio in league games during their period in charge. Robins has a win ratio of 41.7% which is less than Storer's 44.4% but better than Milne's 32.5%. However that oversimplifies the comparison as Milne's games were all in the top flight whilst neither Storer or Robins managed the club higher than tier two. Jimmy Hill is the only other City manager who has been in charge for longer than one season who can beat Robins's win ratio – Hill's percentage was 43.9.

                               Harry Storer in 1949

The attendance at the Stadium of Light was a massive 40,851 and the largest crowd to watch a Coventry City league game (Wembley 2018 apart) since the club left the Premiership in 2001. The previous highest in the last 20 years was at Newcastle in February 2010 when 39,334 were present. The last 40,000 plus crowd in the Premiership was at Old Trafford in April 2001 when 67,637 watched John Hartson give City an early lead and the sides were level until nine minutes from time before Giggs and Scholes sealed a 4-2 win for United. Later that day United were champions after their nearest rivals Arsenal lost.

The Sky Blues fielded only two debutants on Sunday – loanee Jonathan Panzo started the game and Kasey Palmer came off the bench. What a change from a few years ago and when the club seemed to field a completely new team on the opening day and clearly demonstrates the stability within the playing staff that was missing just a few years ago. In 2017 there were seven debutants in the starting XI against Notts County and two more came off the bench. It was perhaps understandable given that the club had suffered relegation the previous campaign and the close season had given Robins the first chance to rebuild the squad after returning to the club. Similarly, in 2003, Gary McAllister had used eight debutants in the first game of the season, a League Cup game with Peterborough. Gary Mac had had a major clear out with the club in serious financial difficulties and brought in a glut of free transfers. The club record of 10 opening day debuts was set in 1926 when Scottish manager James Kerr decided to completely revamp his squad after a miserable campaign in Division Three North which saw them finish 16th. Kerr's gamble didn't pay off, the club finished one place higher in Division Three South and the majority of the players fell by the wayside before the season was over.

Older fans will remember the stable squads of the late 1960s and 70s. In the three seasons between 1967-69 there were no debutants on the opening day and very few throughout the 1970s. Of course there were no transfer windows in those days and clubs could carry on transfer activity throughout the whole season but turnover was very low.

Another indication of the stability of the club's playing staff is illustrated by the fact that for the first time in many years the club have five first team players who have made over 100 appearances for the team. The five are:

Dominic Hyam 190 games

Liam Kelly 147 games

Callum O'Hare 135 games

Kyle McFadzean 118 games

Fankaty Dabo 101 games

All these five players and several others are already legends of the club and how many of the players from the 2001-17 era can one call a legend?

I think you have to go back to 2001 to find as many players with more than 100 games for the club. As the first season outside the top flight in 34 years started there were six: Paul Williams, Richard Shaw, Paul Telfer, Marcus Hall, Gary Breen and Magnus Hedman. By the end of that season however all but Shaw had left the club.