In a season dominated by Coronavirus and empty stadiums the Sky Blues achieved a more than satisfactory 16th place in their first season back in the Championship after eight seasons away. Budgets and standards have improved in the years since City were relegated from the second tier in 2012 and it was common knowledge that Mark Robins had one of the bottom three budgets in the division with a wage bill probably a quarter of many of the sides in the division, several of whom were in receipt of £40m plus parachute payments following relegation from the Premiership.
In the pre-season transfer market the club didn't push the boat out, acquiring Tyler Walker, Gus Hamer, Julien Dacosta and Marcel Hillsner and converting O'Hare's loan into a permanent deal. Hillsner was the invisible man while Dacosta only rarely looked ready for the Championship. Hamer however excelled, particularly in the first half of the season and Walker, whose fitness seemed in doubt, did manage to finish as top scorer without stealing Godden's crown. Thankfully Robins's loan signings were largely successful with Leo Ostigard the stand out, McCallum good, Sheaf and Giles competent and after Christmas Matty James brought a touch of class to midfield. It was largely left to the League One stars who to a great extent, stepped up to the challenge of a higher level and provided the backbone of the team. Hyam, McFadzean, McCallum and O'Hare all had very good seasons and although injuries reduced the appearances of Marosi, Dabo, Rose, Kelly and Godden, they all showed enough to suggest that they have the quality required at this level. The importance of the promoted players is demonstrated by the fact that over 70% of the starting line-ups had played in League One the previous campaign.
The team's form went in fits and starts. A sluggish start with two home defeats with 10 men saw the team flirt briefly (for three days) with the bottom three before an unbeaten run of eight, coinciding with the return of Kelly, gave the fans confidence that they weren't out of their depth. After the early setbacks at home to Bournemouth and Blackburn the team were rarely outclassed and were unlucky not to pick up more points, especially at Derby and Forest. Despite beating relegation rivals Rotherham and Wycombe in December the manager seemed to be adopting a more cautious approach mid-season and also becoming more inclined to hit the ball longer rather than playing through the lines. With Kelly out injured again, goals were in short supply and the team often looked incapable of a result if they conceded first. After an excellent Norwich team had toyed with City at St Andrews another promotion hopeful Brentford were sent packing with an impressive performance. Once again though the team hit a bad patch and one win in seven up to Easter had the fans worried. After a bad loss at QPR the team allegedly had a crisis meeting to thrash out some issues and, the Bournemouth game apart, the team hit a golden seam of form to win three games in a week including the re-arranged game at Rotherham. Billed by many as the most important game for years, City dominated their relegation rivals and from that point looked anything but relegation candidates. Five wins out of the final eight catapulted the Sky Blues to a final sixteenth position (the highest finish since 2006) and culminated in a 6-1 drubbing of Millwall to say farewell to St Andrews.
All Coventry fans wanted to get back to their home city but the two-year spell at St Andrews has produced some stellar performances and an outstanding home record as well as helping the club's progress from the basement division just three years ago. If you include the 'away' games with Birmingham, City have lost only seven games out of 46 in all competitions in that time. Let's hope that excellent form can be reproduced at the stadium formerly known as the Ricoh.
2020-21 Appearances & goalscorers
(L) Loan
Games: Coventry City played 49 competitive games, 46 league, 1 FA Cup and 2 League Cup. For the first time since 2011 the club did not have to field a team in the EFL Trophy.
Points: From 46 league games the Sky Blues gathered 55 points. This equalled the third highest in the seven seasons in the Championship since the move to the Ricoh.
Home Form: 10 wins, 7 draws, 6 defeats. A solid home record was the cornerstone to the Sky Blues' season and has only been bettered three times in the twelve Championship seasons since the club left the Premier League in 2001. On only four occasions in the last 20 years have the club recorded fewer home defeats. Only the top five clubs had fewer home defeats and more home points. The 14-game unbeaten home run carried over from 2019-20 was extended by one game to 15 before Bournemouth lowered the colours. The 15-game run was the best since a 16-game run in 1978-79.
Away Form: 4 wins, 6 draws, 13 losses. Not the greatest of seasons on the road but when results were needed the team delivered with two away wins and a draw from their final three.
Draws: City had seven 0-0 draws in total one short of the club record set in 1970-71 under Noel Cantwell. Six of the goal-less draws were at St Andrews, equalling the home record set by John Sillett's side in 1987-88.
Biggest win: The biggest league win of the season was 6-1 achieved in the final home game with Millwall. The biggest home league win since the 6-0 over Bury in February 2016.
Biggest defeat: The 0-4 defeat at home to Blackburn was the heaviest league defeat of the season and the heaviest at home since April 2018 when Yeovil won 6-2 at the Ricoh.
Goals for: The total of 49 was the twelfth highest in the division. In total they failed to score eighteen times in 46 games.
Goals against: City conceded 61 goals, the third worst in the division. They kept 13 clean sheets – Marosi 4, Wilson 9.
Final position: The final position of 16th was a remarkable achievement. Discounting the first three games, the highest league position during the season was 15th after the win at Stoke and the lowest was 22nd the day after game 8 at Middlesbrough. They spent just two days in the bottom three all season.
Leading scorers: Tyler Walker was leading scorer with 8 goals, 7 in the league, and one in the League Cup. Max Biamou and Matty Godden with six apiece were runners up. Godden's six all came in the league, Max scored five league and 1 League Cup. Fourteen different City players were on the score-sheet during the season. Godden scored in the first two league games of the season to make it goals in six successive games, the first City player to achieve this since Mick Quinn in 1992-93. In the Millwall home game six different City players scored – the first occurrence of this since 1927 in a 7-0 away win v Aberdare Athletic.
Doubles: City achieved two doubles- over Millwall and Rotherham. It was the first double over Rotherham since 1951-52. Four teams did the double over City – Bournemouth, Middlesbrough, Nottingham Forest and Preston. Bournemouth's double was their first over City since 1952-53.
Appearances: No player started all 46 league games but Callum O'Hare with 40 starts and six sub appearances was involved in every game – the first outfield player to do this since Richard Keogh made 46 starts in 2010-11. Dominic Hyam made 43 starts, the most, whilst Gustavo Hamer was involved in 42 games (36 starts, 6 subs). The only competitive game O'Hare wasn't involved in was the League Cup tie at Gillingham.
Players used: 29 players were used in league games (three more than 2019-20 and the lowest number since the club left the Premiership in 2001) and a further three appeared only in cup games. Of the 32 players, eight made their debuts during the season – this is the lowest number for 24 seasons and supports a theory held by some that the less debuts and more manageable the squad is the more success is likely. Three players only appeared as substitutes, Gervane Kastaneer, Wesley Jobello and Jack Burroughs. Six loan players were used: Ben Sheaf, Leo Ostigard, Matty James, Ryan Giles, Viktor Gyokeres and Sam McCallum. In addition to the 32 players used, seven more: Lee Camp, Cian Tyler, Dan Lafferty, Fabio Tavares, Marcel Hillsner, Morgan Williams and Blaine Rowe sat on the bench as substitutes but were not used.
Home-grown players: Of the 32 players used six of them were home grown products of the Academy: Shipley, Eccles, Burroughs, Bapaga, Billson and Thompson. Only Shipley and Eccles started league games. It is noticeable that as the club has climbed the league the number of Academy products coming through has decreased – in 2016-17 15 home-grown players were used and the following season, 14.
Records: Four of the squad have played 100 games or more for the club: Jordan Shipley (149), Dominic Hyam (145), Liam Kelly (131) and Max Biamou (106). Shipley is now 89th in the all-time appearance table, level with Mick Ferguson, while Hyam is 93rd and level with David Speedie. Shipley and Biamou joined an elite group of 13 players who have scored for the club in three different divisions. Kelly had gone almost three years without a goal and then scored two in the first half at Wycombe before limping off injured.
Substitutes: Max Biamou made the most substitute appearances (14 in the league). Gus Hamer was the most substituted players (substituted 18 times in all comps). Ten goals were scored by substitutes, equalling the record set last season: McCallum (Reading h), Biamou (Gillingham (LC) a, Norwich a and Stoke a), Allen (Sheff Wed h), Gyokeres (Bristol C. h and Stoke a), Godden (Barnsley h) and Walker (MK Dons (LC) a, Millwall h). Walker became only the second Coventry City substitute to score on his debut in a League Cup game – Robbie Simpson in 2007 was the other. Biamou has now scored eight goals from the bench – the most by any Coventry City player. Under the new rules City used five substitutes for the first time in the league game at Norwich.
Won from behind: (1) City came from behind only once, to beat QPR in the first home game of the season. In addition on four occasions the team came from behind to get a draw – all in away games (Norwich, Derby, Birmingham, Blackburn). Seven points were won from losing positions.
Lost from in front: (1) City lost three league games from being ahead (at Watford and at home to Nottingham Forest and Middlesbrough). The Forest loss was the first time City had lost at home after taking the lead since August 2018. On two occasions City took the lead only to be pegged back for draws in the league (Swansea (h) & Huddersfield (a)) and they also lost a lead at Gillingham in the League Cup before losing on penalties. Thirteen points were lost from leading positions.
Best run: The Sky Blues best league run was eight unbeaten from mid-November to mid-December. Following defeat at Watford they won three games and drew five. This was the club's longest unbeaten run at the Championship level since 2003. The last eight games, although it included two defeats, produced sixteen points. The unbeaten run of 19 games and 14 league games carried over from 2019-20 ended on the opening day of the season at Bristol.
Worst run: The worst run was six without a win between home wins over QPR and Reading in September when four losses were suffered and two draws which saw City fall into the bottom three for the only time in the campaign.
Hat-tricks: (0) No player scored a hat-trick for the Sky Blues. Liam Kelly (at Wycombe) and Tyler Walker (Brentford (h)) scored braces.
Opposing hat-tricks: (0) For the second season running no opposing player scored a hat-trick but five scored braces: Gosling (Bournemouth), Toney (Brentford), Armstrong (Blackburn), Moore (Cardiff) and Danjuma (Bournemouth).
Former Players: Two former players (both loanees) scored against City – Adam Armstrong (Blackburn) who netted twice at St Andrews and Danny Ward (Huddersfield). Altogether 18 former City outfield players appeared against the club this season.
Own goals: For City: (3) Michael Smith (Rotherham), Jake Cooper (Millwall) and Anfernee Dijksteel (Middlesbrough) all scored in their own nets.
Own goals: By City: (3) Michael Rose scored two own goals (v Forest h and QPR a) and Kyle McFadzean put through his own net in the final game v Millwall. McFadzean became the first City player to score at both ends since Dave Busst v Tottenham in 1995 and only the fourth since World War Two.
Penalties: For City: (3) Three awarded, all scored and all at St Andrews. Godden scored against Bournemouth and Bristol City, Walker scored against Brentford.
Penalties: Against City: (13) Eleven penalties conceded in league games (one short of record set in 2013-14 and two in League Cup. All eleven league were converted (a record) and one of the League Cup kicks was scored with Marosi saving one from Carlton Morris at MK Dons. The breakdown of the culprits is: Wilson 3, McFadzean 3, Rose 2, Drysdale, O'Hare, Sheaf, Hyam, McCallum (1 each).
Fastest Goal scored: Matty James scored in the third minute at Bournemouth, equalising Danjuma's first minute goal.
Fastest Goal conceded: Bristol City's Jamie Paterson netted after just 22 seconds in the opening game of the season, the fastest goal conceded by the Sky Blues since 1995 when Aston Villa's Dwight Yorke scored after 13 seconds at Highfield Road. At Bournemouth Arnaut Danjuma scored after 24 seconds.
Red cards: Coventry: (6): Not the best season, discipline wise with six red cards. McFadzean picked up two (Reading and Luton away) and the following all received one: Hamer (Bournemouth h), Drysdale (MK Dons (LC) a), Rose (Blackburn a), Ostigard (Blackburn a). Not quite the worst season though – in 2002-03 City received seven red cards. McFadzean has now received three red cards since joining the Sky Blues. The record is held by Paul Williams who was sent off four times. The game at MK Dons which saw Drysdale receive a red card was the first time since 2004 (Cardiff away) when City have scored a winner after having a player sent off.
Red cards: Opponents: (1) Millwall's Murray Wallace was sent off in the game at Den.
FA Cup: For the first time since 2011-12 the Sky Blues joined the competition at the Third Round stage but fell at the first hurdle, at Norwich.
League Cup: After a 1-0 victory at MK Dons (the first away win in the competition since 2012) the Sky Blues played an under-strength side at Gillingham in round 2 and despite taking the lead they conceded a late penalty and then lost in a penalty shoot-out.
Bookings: Leo Ostigard clocked up the most bookings, 11. Gus Hamer picked up nine.
Television: There were ten live televised games for the club, nine on Sky and the Norwich FA Cup tie on BT Sport. Seven of the nine Sky games were home games plus the Rotherham and Reading away matches.
Captains: City had seven different captains during the season, Liam Kelly, who was club captain, Kyle McFadzean, Matt Godden, Fankaty Dabo, Matty James and Dom Hyam all took the armband in league games. Michael Rose captained the team in the League Cup at Gillingham. This is one short of the record, eight, set in 2010-11.
Kits: City wore four different kits during the season. The Sky Blue kit was worn in 22 home games and 14 away games. The Red and Black kit was used in nine away games. The City of Culture special kit was worn three times and the Members' Blue shirt was worn in the home win over Brentford. The team failed to win a single game in the Red & Black, drawing four and losing five.
Ground Stats: City visited two new grounds during the season, at Brentford and Huddersfield. It was the first league trip to Huddersfield since 1972 when Town were playing at their old Leeds Road ground. Five clubs, Bristol City, Barnsley, Brentford, Rotherham and Preston joined Gillingham and Tranmere from last season, as the only clubs to have played away league games against Coventry on four different grounds: Highfield Road, Ricoh Arena, Sixfields and St Andrews. Cardiff have also played a League Cup game at Sixfields in addition to league games at the other three. Brentford's visit to St Andrews meant that the Bees have played City at four different grounds in the last four trips to Coventry. City's game at Blackburn in March was their first league visit to Ewood Park since the Premiership days.
Bogeys: The Sky Blues have definitely got the Indian sign over Barnsley. The Yorkshire club, having one of the best seasons in their history, failed to win away to City. It is now 25 trips to Coventry since 1925 without a win. City failed to end their dreadful record at Preston's Deepdale. They have never won a league game in 19 visits to the ground. The Cardiff hoodoo was ended with City's 1-0 home win ending a run of thirteen games stretching back to 2006 against the Welsh club without a victory. There was a rare win at Millwall too – only the second in 19 trips (to either the old Den or the New Den) stretching back to 1955 at a notoriously difficult venue.
Season's start: Owing to the extension of the 2019-20 season for the top two divisions the 2020-21 season started later than normal. In fact City's first game (The League Cup tie at MK Dons) didn't take place until 5 September, the latest start of a season since 7 September 1907. With the League season not starting until 12 September, it meant that it was 124 years since City kicked off its League season that late, equalling the start in the Birmingham & District League in 1896.
Midweek games: With the late start it meant that there were a larger than normal number of midweek games this season. Excluding Friday night and Sunday games there were 18 midweek games, one short of the record of 19 set in the bad winter of 1962-63 when City were playing almost until the end of May to catch up on games postponed because of the bad weather and the club's FA Cup run. Then, however that season lasted just over nine months whilst this season lasted a month less.
Player of the Season: Callum O'Hare has picked up most of the Player of the Season awards from the various supporters' clubs and my award goes to him also. I record my 1-2-3 man of the match for every game and my final totals were: O'Hare 42, McFadzean 38, Hamer & James 31.
Game of the season: Whilst there were few great games, especially compared to 2019-20, there were several fine home performances including the victories over QPR, Reading and Brentford. At the time the win at Rotherham was of a great magnitude and the Stoke win was a delightful performance. My vote however goes to the last day 6-1 win over Millwall.
With many thanks to Paul O'Connor.
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