Meet the opposition | Coventry City
As Swansea City get set to take on Coventry City, we take a closer look at the Sky Blues.
What's their story?
Singers FC was formed in 1883 by a group of men at the Singer Factory Gentleman’s Club, and five years later they changed the team name to Coventry City. After 11 years competing in the Southern League, they were elected to the Football League in 1919.
Between 1925 and 1958 Coventry spent their time between non-league and the EFL but, under the guidance of manager Jimmy Hill, they manufactured a meteoric rise in the early 1960s and reached the top tier for the first time in 1967.
The Sky Blues remained there for 34 years before suffering relegation in 2001. They dropped to Sky Bet League One just over a decade later and, in 2017, they were relegated to League Two.
The appointment of Mark Robins as manager (for the second time) proved to be a shrewd one. They spent just one season in the fourth tier under him before earning promotion via the play-offs in 2018. The Sky Blues went on to become champions of the curtailed 2019-20 League One season on a points per game basis.
They have impressed since returning to the second tier and were beaten play-off finalists when they lost to Luton Town back in May.
Coventry's only major trophy came in 1987 when they defeated Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 to win the FA Cup, with Keith Houchen's diving header proving one of the iconic Wembley goals.
And the Sky Blues progressed to the semi-finals of the FA Cup for the first time since their 1986–87 FA Cup victory with a 3–2 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers last term.
Who's the gaffer?
Mark Robins. The 54-year-old came through the ranks at Manchester United and made around 50 appearances for the club before moving on to Norwich City. He played more than 400 games in a 17-year playing career, but is best known for time with the Canaries and Leicester City.
The striker scored more than 100 career goals and took his first steps into management in 2007 when he took the reins at Rotherham United on a caretaker basis. After picking up three wins in six, Robins was given the role permanently and went on to have two successful campaigns with the Millers.
He left to join their south Yorkshire rivals Barnsley before heading to Coventry for his first spell in charge of the Midlands club. He helped turn the side from relegation battlers to promotion contenders, but soon departed for another Yorkshire side in Huddersfield Town.
In 2014, he took over at struggling Scunthorpe United but was dismissed after only eight games in charge.
He returned to the Sky Blues in March 2017 and guided them to an unexpected EFL Trophy win less than a month later, but he was unable to prevent relegation to the fourth tier.
However, Robins galvanised the club and led them to promotion via the play-offs with a 3-1 win over Exeter City at Wembley the following campaign.
Two seasons later, he led Coventry to the League One title during the curtailed 2019-20 season to make a return to the Championship, where they have performed strongly.
How's their form?
Coventry lost their opening game of the Championship season 1-0 at Stoke City. They currently sit 14th in the table, with one win under their belt which came against Oxford United on home turf.
They have since drawn two games against Bristol City and Watford respectively.
Who's the captain?
Ben Sheaf. Former Arsenal player Sheaf is industrious in the middle of the park, keeping them ticking over and sweeping up play to allow those ahead of him to cause problems.
As technically gifted as you would expect of a Gunners' academy product, he made his senior debut against Red Star Belgrade in the Europa League back in 2017.
Loan spells with Stevenage and Doncaster followed, before he made the initial loan move to the CBS Arena in the summer of 2020.
His showings convinced manager Mark Robins to make the deal permanent the following summer and he has been a regular ever since.
Who are the key men?
Ellis Sims
Striker Simms joined Everton as a 16-year-old and enjoyed three successful loan spells away from Goodison Park at Blackpool, Heart of Midlothian and Sunderland.
He netted seven goals in 17 games for Sunderland before being recalled by Everton in January, where he would feature 11 times and score once in the top-flight – a vital late equaliser against Chelsea.
He scored 19 goals in 53 appearances for Coventry last season and has notched two goals and one assist in seven appearances so far this season.
Haji Wright
Wright joined EFL Championship club Coventry City on August 4, 2023, on a four-year contract for a club-record transfer fee of €9 million.
A week later, he scored his first goal for the Sky Blues on his home debut in a 3–0 win against Middlesbrough. He ended the 2023-24 campaign with 19 goals, including 16 goals in the Championship, in 50 appearances in all competitions.
He has netted twice this season after finishing his first season in England as joint top scorer for Coventry City, alongside strike partner Ellis Simms.
The Los Angeles-born forward has spent most of his career in Europe after initially emerging at Los Angeles Galaxy.
He went on to join Schalke and has since had spells with SV Sandhausen, VVV Venlo, Sønderjyske and Antalyaspor.
He has represented the United States at all levels and scored his first international goal on his senior debut for the United States on June 1, 2022, in a 3–0 friendly victory against Morocco and also represented his country at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Brandon Thomas-Asante
Coventry's summer signing Brandon Thomas-Asante made the swap to the CBS Arena from the Hawthorns in August 2024.
The 25-year-old has netted two goals so far this season, which have both come in the Carabao Cup.
Thomas-Asante began his career with Milton Keynes Dons, where he made his senior debut at the age of 17 in 2016. He departed Stadium MK in 2019 after spells on loan with Sutton United and Oxford City, before a short spell at Ebbsfleet United.
He won the 2019-20 EFL Trophy during his stint with Salford City.
He spent two seasons at the Hawthorns, and finished top scorer in his first season with the Baggies with nine goals.